Proposals for four major incinerators were in the planning process, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil during sharp exchanges.
He was replying to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, who said that, until recently, the Government's policy on the disposal of waste was to incinerate it and, having examined and analysed the capacity of incinerators, eight were to be located throughout the regions. However, Minister for the Environment John Gormley seemed to have changed that policy.
"The situation is quite confusing. Deputy Gormley states there is only capacity for two incinerators in the country. Will the Taoiseach tell us about Government policy in this regard; is it proposed to have two or eight incinerators?"
Mr Ahern said Mr Gormley took the view that we should look at the modern technologies and the new systems being used in the Nordic countries, and, if we did that, we would not need the number of incinerators that had been previously listed.
"There are four major applications for incinerators in the planning process. Based on his examination of new technologies, perhaps we will not need eight incinerators.
"Four was the number mentioned in a number of reports. In two applications, the capacity of the incinerator for which planning permission is being sought is higher than what was originally planned."
Padraic McCormack (FG, Galway West) remarked: "he does not want it in his garden."
Mr Ahern said, in the Minister's view, some of the proposals previously examined did not take account of the most modern technology. If we went with the most modern technology, we would not need the number of incinerators that had been envisaged.
Mr Kenny insisted that the Taoiseach's reply did not answer the question he had asked. "The question is whether we will have eight incinerators or two incinerators. I remind the Taoiseach that the Minister stated on Thursday, October 11th: 'Ireland requires no more than two incinerators to deal with waste which cannot be recycled or processed, rather than the eight that are currently planned'."
Dublin City Council, Mr Kenny said, had been working for quite a long time on a major incinerator in Poolbeg.
"Obviously, the city council and local authorities must take account of Government policy. Was the Minister just spoofing when he stated the country needs no more than two incinerators instead of eight? Does that mean there will be no incinerator in Dublin city? I have put some straight questions to the Taoiseach, and I hope he will clarify the situation in his reply."
Mr Ahern replied: "it does not mean that. As the deputy knows, there are contractual commitments and a considerable amount of work has been completed on the Poolbeg incinerator. However, that does not remove the need to look at modern technology for that incinerator.
"That is the point the Minister has made. We have seen where in at least one case, and possibly two, the capacity of the proposed incinerators has been increased. The number of incinerators required depends on the capacity of each." Mr Kenny insisted that this was "a load of rubbish".
Mr Ahern said taking account of the most modern technology was the point the Minister made.
Asked by Bernard Durkan (FG, Kildare North) if this meant opting for landfill, Mr Ahern replied: "we want to move away from landfill. We should take account of the most modern technology available and as we have not started to build the incinerators, why should we use technology that is six or seven years out of date?"
