Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), John Brady has said that new information provided by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and Wicklow County Council regarding the remediation of the illegal Whitestown landfill is “alarming”.
For the first time, the Council has revealed that they have incurred legal costs of €1.35 million and counting.
The correspondence also reiterated the estimated future remediation costs of between €32 million and €38 million under three separate scenarios, while noting that no financial commitment is in place for works beyond 2026, as the Department awards grants on an annual basis.
Teachta Brady said:
“The people of Wicklow have endured the consequences of this environmental disaster for more than a generation.
“More than 1.4 million tonnes of waste was illegally buried at the site, including medical waste, industrial waste and hazardous waste, before it was closed in 2001 by Wicklow County Council.
“We now learn that since 2013, Wicklow County Council has incurred €1.35 million in legal costs in connection with the Whitestown site and associated legal proceedings.
“This is not even the final figure. The legal proceedings and outlays are ongoing, with additional fee notes due from counsel for fees incurred to date and future fees.
“Critically, the Department has confirmed that they will not fund any legal costs.
“I am of the strong belief that the Department should reconsider this stance as this means money coming out of the delivery of services for the people of Wicklow, due to circumstances completely beyond their control.
“In any event, we need full transparency on these costs and the potential further liabilities to the Council arising from Whitestown.
“The correspondence also lays out again that the remaining remediation works will cost between €32 million and €38 million over the period from 2026 to 2031, outlining three separate scenarios.
“However, despite these enormous projected costs, there is currently no financial commitment in place for future works beyond 2026, as grants are awarded to local authorities on an annual basis through the budgetary process.
“Wicklow County Council has been allocated €8.26 million for the Whitestown project in 2026, but there is no guarantee of funding for the years that follow.
“It is stated that the Council expects the Department to fund the majority of eligible remediation costs, but that expectation cannot be treated as a commitment that future allocations will be approved or that all expenditure arising from Whitestown will be grant eligible.
“This again raises a fundamental question, who will ultimately pick up the tab?
“Wicklow County Council’s budget is already severely overstretched. We need clarity on the funding arrangements and the impact any future liability could have on the Council’s ability to deliver other essential services.
“After decades of delays, millions of euro in public expenditure and lengthy legal proceedings, the people of Wicklow deserve full transparency, proper accountability and certainty that this environmental disaster will finally be resolved.”
ENDS