Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has agreed to fund, through the Vote of my Department, the rehabilitation of the abandoned mine sites at Silvermines, County Tipperary. North Tipperary County Council agreed to act as agents in this matter and I am happy to continue with this arrangement.

In 2006, following a competitive tendering process, North Tipperary County Council appointed Golder Associates to finalise the design and manage the implementation of the rehabilitation programme as set out in earlier conceptual plans. The initial focus of the rehabilitation project at Silvermines is being placed on those sites that contain hazardous waste, Gortmore Tailings Management Facility and the waste facility at Garryard.

Planning permission was granted by North Tipperary County Council on 17 September 2007 for the design of rehabilitation work at the Gortmore Tailings Management Facility. A tender notice was advertised in the EU Journal on 21 January this year, following which seven companies were shortlisted and invited to submit a tender for the first phase of the rehabilitation works. Tenders were received from all seven companies on 21 April 2008 and subsequently assessed by Golder Associates. On 21 May 2008, my Department authorised North Tipperary County Council to issue a letter of intention to accept the tender of a construction firm for the first phase of the remediation works at Gortmore at Silvermines. I understand that this letter was issued by the council on 22 May and it is expected that works will commence on site in June, subject to the contractor producing insurances, bond and tax clearance.

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