Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has incurred any expense to date in the remediation of Haulbowline Island; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37483/10]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the remediation actions he has taken since chromium 6 was discovered on Haulbowline Island in County Cork; the position regarding remediation efforts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37480/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 81 together.

From 2004 to 2009 my Department had an interim role in the management of this legacy site in a manner which is consistent with good practice and minimisation of risk to human health and the environment. Accordingly, my Department arranged for the decontamination and demolition of the buildings on site and, post-demolition, arranged for the procurement of a contractor for site surface clearance, back filling of voids and the disposal of the remaining surface wastes to be undertaken.

Examples of waste types removed include:

· over 10,000 tonnes of scrap metal;

· over 1,100 tonnes of hazardous dust vacuumed from the steelworks buildings before demolition;

· hazardous soils and sludge;

· millscale.

To date the State has expended some €50 million on investigations, site works, disposal of waste material, testing and sampling, analysis, topographical and foreshore ecological surveys, project management, professional fees and security.

In June 2009, the Government decided that the Office of Public Works would chair a working group to develop a structured and coherent approach to the further management and development of the former Irish Ispat site, and to advise on the site's most beneficial future use. Consideration of the regulatory requirements relevant to the site falls within the Terms of Reference of the OPW – led Working Group. The future use of the site will in itself influence the levels and extent of further works and/or remediation required.