Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The Minister did not answer the question I asked. I have no difficulty about the figures he mentioned. What he said was that 1.3 million to 1.4 million tonnes of waste would be treatable by MBT. That is what I am referring to, not the total amount of waste we have to deal with, which is 1.7 million tonnes. I accept that figure, although it may be closer to 2 million tonnes. I asked the Minister how he intends to do this. What system will be used? He has obviously thought this through. How much waste will be treatable using the MBT process? How will it be done? People need to know what this process entails and whether it will be in the public interest.

The Minister has stated several times that incineration is out of the question, but he has done nothing to stop the plans from going through the planning process. He has stated in the past that they are a danger to health. That was mentioned in his submission to An Bord Pleanála about the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg. If he reads it he will see that the Green Party stated that incinerators were damaging to people's health.

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