Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As other speakers have said, the smoke that darkened the skies and shrouded Dublin in a toxic haze on Saturday terrified many local residents caught in the middle of it. The cause of the massive fire which consumed the Oxigen plant at Ballymount is as yet unknown, whether deliberate arson or otherwise. Residents and employees have suffered from the toxic fumes. The firefighters of the fire brigade are to be commended. It was sheer luck it was a damp and dirty January day which helped to keep the fire under control.

The EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, personnel were quickly on site to measure the environmental impact on the city. The toxic nature of the fire and the difficulties in keeping it in check, despite the weather conditions, underline the dangers presented by these types of facilities and emphasises the pressing need for enhanced security arrangements.

A number of issues need to be addressed in the aftermath of this fire. Local residents were trapped in their homes and it is crucial that the circumstances and cause of the fire is known. How effective was the response and what can be done to stop such a fire occurring? The plant had recently ceased receiving hazardous waste materials which would have made an unfortunate situation even worse.

I ask the Minister if the Department will ensure that a full investigation by the EPA is undertaken, including a review of the security procedures and safety checks to ensure that such an event is avoided in the future. Will an evaluation be carried out of the response to the fire such as the warning to the public? Was decisive action taken to protect the area? We must ensure that everything will be done as soon as possible to ensure the environment of the area is protected.

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