Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader to bring in the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to discuss the application by Irish Cement in regard to replacing fossil fuels with an incinerator and the proposed burning of tyres. A prominent group, Limerick Against Pollution, has been set up and Professor Anthony Staines addressed a well-attended public meeting last Friday at which many concerns were highlighted.

There are two aspects. The first is the planning application, which is with Limerick City and County Council at the moment, on which I have made a submission and have spoken to the planners. A decision on the application is due on 9 April. Second, the EPA has been asked to monitor and review the licence, although I know it cannot make a decision. There is a fear factor in regard to air quality, in particular as there are quite a few farmers in the area and very strong odours from the cement factory have been experienced in the past. Given this fear factor, more than 1,000 submissions went to the EPA, with a similar number having been made against the planning application. It is an issue that is very much to the forefront of people's minds in the Mungret, Raheen and Dooradoyle areas, and it affects roughly 30,000 people living in the vicinity.

Senator Bacik referred to the Bus Éireann dispute. I too call on the Leader to ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to intervene directly in the dispute. Bus Éireann goes into every nook and cranny across Ireland and into all communities. I believe the letter issued by the management will have a detrimental effect on those communities.