Tom Shehan (Fine Gael)

I profess I am not environmentalist. The issue of bonuses and waste, even within the Oireachtas, was touched on earlier. When this Seanad first convened, the issue was raised of inviting members of society into this House. Will the Deputy Leader say whether it would be possible to invite the chief executive officer of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to this House? More than 30 years ago, 65,000 tonnes of non-contaminated waste was dumped in a landfill which was later covered and is now a greenfield site. The EPA, with the local authority, has spent vast sums digging trial holes and so on in this greenfield site in an effort to discover what is buried there. It has been stated in several reports that there is no contamination or toxic waste at this greenfield site, yet the EPA has ordered the company to remove 5,000 tonnes of waste at a cost of €2.5 million. While I do not agree with what went on, this was the practice throughout the country 30 years ago. If the EPA is determined to enforce this order, the company will go out of business with the loss of 400 jobs. It will cost the company €2.5 million to excavate 5,000 tonnes of waste. As I stated earlier, I am not an environmentalist but digging up ground to remove waste causes pollution and destroys our road network.

Would it be possible to invite bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, which to my mind are not responsible to any Minister, before the House in order that we could question them? I do not know if people are aware of the term "BAP", best affordable practice. I believe best affordable practice should be put in place. I call on the Deputy Leader to-----