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Gormley must block crazy plan for Wicklow disposal of lethal chemical

Issued : Wednesday 11 June, 2008

The Labour Party TD for Wicklow, Liz McManus has called on the Minister for the Environment to intervene to block plans to dispose of cylinders of a potentially lethal chemical at a site in County Wicklow.

"I am astonished that Minister Gormley's Department should have become a party to this crazy plan without any consultation or discussion with residents or local public representatives.

"I understand that South Dublin County Council is planning to dispose of seven cylinders*, two of which contain hydrogen cyanide, by 'controlled burn' at the Defence Forces firing range at Manor Kilbride in County Wicklow on behalf of a pest control company, Rentokil. The plan is all the more surprising because, according to a statement from Dublin County Council 'the advice from chemical experts and the manufacturer is that the cylinders are safe to remain in the building in their current condition and position'. If this is the case why then embark on the risky procedure of burning the chemical and exposing the people to potential risk and the area to potential pollution?

"Army personnel have been told to vacate the army camp for four days. There is a one kilometre wide exclusion zone planned and families within that zone have not been properly informed.

"In 2006 newspaper reports suggested that the U.S. authorities had intercepted a plan by AL-QA'IDA terrorists to use this very same substance, hydrogen cyanide, in an attack on the New York subway. Yet now the people of Wicklow are being asked to allow their locality to be used to burn up this material.

"For far too long Wicklow was used as a dumping ground for other people's unwanted or hazardous waste. I had hoped that this day was over, but apparently not.

"Minister Gormley cannot allow this crazy and risky plan to go ahead".