Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter.

Last Saturday morning, at approximately 3 a.m., the Dublin fire service responded to an emergency call reporting a large fire at the Oxigen environmental waste facility in an industrial estate at Ballymount, Dublin. In co­ordination with An Garda Síochána, the Dublin fire service has been managing the incident since that time. The fire service has worked since early Saturday morning to bring the fire under control and at one point as many as 75 of its personnel were on the site. There was significant traffic disruption in the area as a result of the incident. A large plume of smoke hung over the area on Saturday and Sunday, although high winds over the weekend helped to disperse the plume somewhat.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been on site since early on Saturday. It is liaising closely with the fire service and has been monitoring air quality in the area. The EPA advised anyone in the path of the plume to keep windows and doors closed. It also provided general health advice to adults and children with lung problems, adults with heart problems and older people in regard to outdoor activity in particular. The EPA continues to monitor the situation and is providing regular updates through the media and on Twitter. Once the situation on the site has been brought under full control, the EPA will take steps to commence a full investigation in the normal way. It is too early at this stage to say what was the exact cause of the fire. The Garda Síochána and the fire service will be moving to commence their own separate investigations into the circumstances of the incident.

Like other Deputies, I am very concerned about the fire and I am particularly concerned about the possible impact on residents in the area. I am also relieved that there have been no injuries reported and that all staff at the plant are safe and fully accounted for. Smoke is still rising from the affected area but I am pleased to report that the situation is significantly improved. Three units of the fire service remain at the scene and continue to work to bring the fire under control which they expect to complete within the next 24 hours. I commend the fire service, An Garda Síochána and the EPA on their work. This is a significant incident and the fire service very quickly mobilised considerable resources to tackle and contain the fire. The facility is licensed by the EPA to accept household and commercial dry recyclables, construction and demolition waste and hazardous waste. It is not yet known whether any hazardous waste was caught up in the fire, but I expect such issues to be addressed in the various investigations. I will report to the Deputies on the conclusion of those investigations and examine the criteria associated with storing toxic materials near residential areas.

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