Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The history relates to the Poolbeg incinerator which has again been a live issue in the past few weeks, despite the clear opposition of the elected members of Dublin City Council and the introduction of local government reform, which has not shown them to be in a strong position. The county manager ignored their wishes and those of the people of Dublin and is pushing ahead with the project. As the Minister will be aware, RPS Group was the company contracted by DCC at a cost of more than €20 million and it recommended that the council ignore all other options relating to waste reduction, recycling and disposal and build the incinerator. One of the main engineers employed by RPS consultants was subsequently appointed to An Bord Pleanála by the former Minister, Mr. Dick Roche, in 2006. My information is that the individual in question voted to approve the incinerator proposal in 2007. The Minister mentioned a two-year gap. A former senior employee of the consultants who had promoted the project subsequently voted to approve it. Does the Minister not see a conflict of interest in this regard?

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