Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

Interest in this debate is wider than those who have spoken. An entire harbour community is interested and I was pleased the Minister met the residents last night. However, this issue goes beyond them. Town commissioners in Monkstown, Passage West and Cobh, as well as Cork county and city councillors, ultimately will be obliged to oversee and be responsible for what happens on this site. The Minister must meet such individuals as a matter of urgency.

When the issue first came to light, the Minister started on the basis that because he was a Green Party Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, he knew best. Clearly, this was not the case. Certain questions must be asked and responded to. Not one, but three reports were produced. While there is uncertainty as to whether the report available to the Minister constitutes a fourth report, three reports were produced from 2003 onwards. It is not as if people did not know about the issue. Moreover, they knew of the difficulties involved and the necessity to solve the problem. However, this does not appear to have been the attitude taken when the story was unearthed and exposed in the media.

Chromium 6 is the most dangerous substance present on the site and one must be extremely careful about it. My information is that the dust is most dangerous. Therefore, one cannot unearth any part of the slag heap without covering it to ensure the dust will not be carried away on the prevailing winds. As anyone from Cork is aware, there are prevailing winds in the harbour. This is what must happen.

The people living around the harbour must be told what action is being taken. Moreover, they must be reassured because this is not the first issue people in Cork have dealt with in respect of dangerous chemicals. Cork is the location for the preponderance of Ireland's chemical industry. The people will not be fobbed off as they are able to read reports and have been doing so for years. They know what to look for and when they are being fobbed off. One must be extremely careful in this regard, as one cannot put people's health at risk. It is not good enough for the Minister to lecture Members to the effect that he is the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and knows more about the environment than anyone else. Clearly, he does not.

People living around Cork Harbour must be reassured that what must be done at the site will be done in a safe manner to protect them, their children and those who will come after them. Moreover, there should be no further leaks about discoveries of matters already contained in reports. The Minister should outline the plan. Will it involve a covered unearthing to prevent dust particles from being carried away by the prevailing winds? I refer to the other three reports that the Minister continues to state are not available. They are.

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