John Whelan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I call on the Leader, as a matter of urgency, to inform the Minister for Finance and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, of a matter of grave concern, namely, a fire hazard which could have serious ramifications in the town of Portarlington. It concerns the former Avon Arlington factory which is disused, closed and derelict since 1998 but apparently is now under the responsibility and ownership of the National Asset Management Agency. However, it has given the local community the run-around, saying it is not its responsibility to secure it and make it safe and has abandoned the property. It is an eyesore on the edge of the town and within hundreds of metres of the mainline train station which serves the south and west. It is a tinderbox of 12,000 sq. m with hundreds of barrels of chemicals on site, unsecured and open to the elements. The ground is contaminated and possibly the watercourses in the area. I have raised the issue with the senior officials in Laois County Council who say they cannot get a straight answer from NAMA in respect of responsibility for the site. I am genuinely concerned about it. I do not want to have to return to the issue and say "I told you so". The Portarlington community and the development association are getting the run-around from NAMA. It is vital that whichever Minister is responsible instructs NAMA to take responsibility for it if the site is in its ownership. The Environmental Protection Agency must intervene as a matter of urgency because the site is being vandalised and used for anti-social behaviour. If one incident occurs at the site the entire town would have to be evacuated. It is a disaster waiting to happen. It is not fair to the people of the town that this derelict site on the edge of a town, with a population of 8,000, is allowed go unsecured. Responsibility for it is way beyond the scope of the local authority. If NAMA has taken ownership and control of the site, it cannot be allowed to wash its hands of it.