Decision on Ringaskiddy incinerator delayed again

WASTE incinerator company Indaver Ireland has confirmed that An Bord Pleanála has given it until October 3 to respond to more queries about its application for a plant in Ringaskiddy 

A three-week oral hearing was held into the project more than a year ago but no decision has been made by the planning authority as yet. 

The planning application was submitted 21 months ago. 

An Bord Pleanála wants the waste company to answer a number of questions that arose following the submission of further information in July.

Campaigners opposed to the €160m 240,000 tonnes-per-annum waste-to-energy facility at Ringaskiddy said the ongoing postponements “shows very little regard” for the people of Cork Harbour.

“It’s very disappointing. It takes an emotional toll on everyone. We have been geared up for this decision so many times now, but the dates seem to mean nothing to the people tasked with deciding,” said Linda Fitzpatrick, spokesperson for environmental lobby group Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment.

An Bord Pleanála was originally due to announce its decision in relation to the Indaver Ireland application on July 12 last year. 

However it was subsequently deferred to October 26, then January 24, March 22, August 10 and September 12. The latest due date for a decision is October 25. 

It is Indaver Ireland’s third application since 2001. Permission was granted but expired in the first instance and was refused in 2011.Should the project get the go-ahead this time, the decision can only be challenged in the High Court.