Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow, John Brady has today challenged officials from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment over what he described as their “25 years of failure” in remedying the illegal Whitestown landfill, near Baltinglass, where more than 1.4 million tonnes of waste was illegally buried before it was closed in 2001 by Wicklow County Council.
At a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee, Deputy Brady raised a series of questions relating to the planned works at the landfill, and the officials were unable to provide satisfactory detail with regard to the timeline, total budget, and the responsibilities of various bodies involved in the plan.
Speaking after the meeting, Teachta Brady said:
“The people of West Wicklow have endured the consequences of this environmental disaster for more than a generation.
“Wicklow County Council closed the illegal site in 2001, and the 25 years since have been marked by a litany of failures.
“Following a previous remediation plan that the council said had been successful in 2014, proceedings were launched in the High Court.
“In July 2017, after a 53 day hearing, the judge concluded that the botched remediation plan left about 93 per cent of the waste on site and he directed that the council remove waste and remediate the site.
“So, public money wasted on a botched remediation plan and costly legal fees, all the while the problem continues to persist.
“We now know that medical waste, industrial waste and hazardous waste have all been discovered at what was the largest illegal dump in Ireland, including syringes and other medical equipment that were illegally disposed of at the site.
“Here we are 25 years later, after absolute millions of euro spent, and this environmental hazard still remains in situ.
“We have heard from the CEO of Wicklow County Council that work is currently underway on site preparation, and work to remove waste is due to get underway in the coming months.
“But there is very little further detail.
“The remediation works, involving the removal of the remaining waste on the site, are expected to cost anywhere between €32 million and €38 million. However, we still need a final and definitive cost, and where is the waste being removed to?
“We also need a full accounting of the legal expenses given the litany of court cases that have been heard over the years.
“This saga of failures has cost taxpayers millions upon millions of euro, failed the people of Wicklow, and absolutely failed to protect the environment.
“For 25 years runoff from this dump has continued into a Special Area of Conservation and into the Slaney River catchment.
“The Department has provided funding, €7.2 million from 2013 to 2025, and €15 million is allocated for 2026 to support the work, through the State’s Landfill Remediation Grant Scheme, which is strictly for capital works only and does not cover legal fees.
“We need clarity as to what exactly this €7.2 million was spent on.
“With such a serious issue and this level of already committed spending, it is deeply concerning that Department officials were not able to provide a more comprehensive update at today’s meeting.
“Their response did not inspire confidence that this saga will soon be brought to an end.
“Local residents have had to live with uncertainty and concern about the potential impact on the surrounding environment and public health for over 25 years.
“They deserved transparency and action, but instead they were met with delays and inaction.
“The Minister and Department officials must provide a full and comprehensive overview of the works to be carried out, timelines, budgets, and responsibilities.
“We need full line of sight on this, and on who will ultimately foot the bill.
“This issue needs to be resolved once and for all.”
Ends