Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the proposal to dump spoil from the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Works Long Sea Outfall Tunnel at the mouth of Dublin Bay three km south of the Bailey, Howth in view of the fears of local residents and sports clubs including scuba divers regarding the potential impact of the dumping of approximately 824,000 tonnes of spoil at this location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1023/13]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans not to permit the dumping of soil from the Port Tunnel into Dublin Bay (details supplied). [1509/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 641 and 679 together.

The Ringsend Waste Water Treatment Plant Upgrade is included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme, 2010 – 2013 as a scheme to start during the lifetime of the Programme. Matters relating to planning applications, permits, licences and authorisations are matters for the relevant statutory regulators such as An Bord Pleanála and the Environmental Protection Agency.

I understand that Dublin City Council received planning approval for the proposed expansion of the Ringsend plant, including land-based disposal of the tunnel spoil, from An Bord Pleanála in November 2012. I am informed that the City Council submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a Dumping at Sea Permit, in accordance with Section 5 of the Dumping at Sea Acts 1996 to 2010, in early December 2012, seeking approval of an alternative to the land-based disposal of the tunnel spoil. A period of public consultation in relation to this permit application commenced on 20 December 2012 and runs until 31 January 2013.  During this time members of the public and other interested parties may make submissions to the EPA in relation to this application.

I have no role in the granting, or otherwise, of the permit applied for and I would urge the Deputies to encourage interested parties to engage in the public consultation process with the EPA.  Information regarding the permit application and the public consultation process are available from Dublin City Council and the EPA.