David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of reports or investigations commissioned by various Government Departments or State bodies on the former Irish ISPAT site in Haulbowline, County Cork since 2000; the persons who carried out each report and the cost of each respectively; the action the Government Departments or State bodies undertook as a result of these reports or investigations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26270/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Two site investigations have been carried out at the steelworks site since 2000. Enviros Aspinwall carried out a desk-top study in 2002 on behalf of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and a more recent site investigation by White Young Green, in 2005, was organised by Cork County Council on behalf of my Department.

The 2002 study identified a range of issues which would require to be addressed into the future including site security, the disposal of radioactive scrap which at the time was stored on the area known as Rocky Island, the decontamination and demolition of the steelworks buildings and the carrying out of a comprehensive site investigation survey to inform decisions on remediation tailored to future end use of the site.

The State, acting through my Department in a co-ordinating role, took over custody of the site from the liquidator in June 2003 as mandated by Government. The mandate required the Department to co-ordinate all legal actions in relation to the site, to cover matters such as site security, ongoing maintenance, and other issues arising, and to enable a site investigation to be carried out to assist in determining the best option, economically and environmentally, for the future use of the site and its remediation.

In 2003, the Department appointed Lisney's to sell any remaining plant and machinery at the site. In 2004 a proposal was made to Lisney for the scrapping of the remaining plant and machinery and the metal content of the buildings on site. The final agreement with the successful tenderer was a combined sale of metal content for scrap, netted of the cost of decontaminating the melt shop area of the plant. The decontamination and demolition of the buildings on site is now complete.

Following the demolition works large volumes of waste material remained on the site. Significant quantities of inert construction and demolition (C&D) waste have been re-used on site to fill voids, leaving remaining waste for disposal. Procurement of a contractor for site surface clearance, back filling of voids and the disposal of the remaining surface wastes was undertaken. This was awarded to Hammond Lane Metal Company Ltd.

The current issue relates to the uncovering by a sub-contractor of a sub-surface sludge pit during these surface clearance works. Owing to the potential extent and nature of the waste, the extent of the minimum works required to remove the risk of environmental pollution remaining unclear, and the extent to which there may be a wide range of practical measures which might be necessary to remove the risk of pollution, my Department instructed that excavations of the material should stop.

The sub-contractor persisted with unauthorised works and ultimately it became necessary to terminate the contract. My Department's instructions, which were endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency, were designed to prevent further piecemeal unauthorised works with unknown environmental consequences.

The site investigation by White Young Green in 2005 indicated no evidence of any immediate threat to human health or the environment. My Department has now re-engaged these consultants to carry out an independent and rigorous assessment of site conditions following the unauthorised works. This assessment, which will begin in the coming week, will involve analysis of soil, slag, dust, surface and ground water samples for all likely contaminants, including heavy metals such as chromium, and it will be utilised in determining the best way forward in serving the site from an environmental and health and safety point of view in the short term.

I am currently preparing a report to update the Government on the outcome of the extensive site investigations and the interim works carried out since 2004. Decisions by Government on the future use of the site will determine the level and extent of further remediation required.

My Department is compiling details of the costs of the previous studies, which will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.