Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I never thought I would see the Minister reduced to such capitulation so soon. I never believed that the passion that animated his 25 years in public life would be so run over in such a short time by the mandarins of the Custom House. All the bluster and flak from his acting leader will not provide the mudguard or bioguard for his craven submission to what is happening. I respect the legal cover that has been given to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, in his speech and I recognise the mission of any good civil servant is to protect the Minister and the Department. I have benefitted from this in my time but there are times when one must think outside the box. Deputy Gormley must ask himself, as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, whether the policy direction to An Bord Pleanála to provide for incineration still stands or can be retrieved. One cannot simply say there is a statutory legal planning process that cannot be interfered with. When the planning inspector in Ringaskiddy recommended that an incinerator there should not go ahead An Bord Pleanála, having regard to the policy direction that was legally given to it by the then Minister acting in his official capacity, said there was a higher instruction.

This issue will not go away and the Minister, Deputy Creighton and I all share a proximity to the voters of the area. They will find the Minister's explanation tonight unbelievable. Forget about Tara and the Minister's declaration of impotence on the matter due to Deputy Dick Roche signing the order as he exited office. Has the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, asked that the policy direction given to An Bord Pleanála be reviewed? If he has not the probable strong recommendation of the planning inspector against the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg will be waved aside because of the policy direction that is seen by An Bord Pleanála to have a higher order.

Had the Minister examined the economics of a public private partnership he would have had some fans in Merrion Street. This would not involve a legal intervention in the planning process or an undermining of the Minister's statutory requirement, under both Environmental Protection Agency legislation and local government and planning legislation not to interfere in statutory areas of the planning process. The Minister is ultimately responsible for the Vote of money that will come from his Department, sanctioned in this House, to all local authorities. The economics of this incinerator are crazy and Mr. Joe McCarthy will bring this to the Minister's attention, if he has not already done so. So-called "Crazy Joe McCarthy" was, as officials of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will realise, the person who, along with others, eventually blew the whistle on the nonsense of e-voting.

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