The Combined Residents Against Incineration (CRAI) held a public meeting on the 23rd November 2006, in Clann na Gael Fontenoy, to inform the residents about the incinerator situation after objections were lodged by over 3000 people with An Board Pleanala in early October.

Frances Corr, Secretary of the Bath Avenue and District Residents Association and CRAI introduced the panel which included May Kane the secretary of the Ringsend and Irishtown Residents, Joan McArthur, the Chairperson of Sandymount and Merrion Residents, Maurice Bryan, Engineer and Environmental consultant to CRAI and Rory Herne. Frances thanked local representative Cllr Kevin Humphries for coming along.

Frances said that somewhere in the region of 3,500 objections from the community had been sent to An Bord Pleanala and she wished to thank everyone for the efforts. The Incinerator required a Waste Management Licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). CRAI had met with an officer from the EPA and discussed the licence objection process. CRAI had been able to put in an objection and she proposed a petition to be submitted in support.

She said that there is an appeal stage to any outcome and that Dublin City Council who had applied for this licence with the EPA may well appeal. CRAI would do likewise and it could end up in Court and she reminded the group that money would be needed.

Maurice Bryan said he had examined the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted by the local authority and the Waste Licence application to the EPA. He said that the EIS was seriously flawed and misleading. He said there were problems with the disposal of ‘Bottom Ash’. There was no explanation in either the EIS or the waste licence application as to how this would be stored and disposed of.

Rory Hearne said that the key thing at this time was to organise fundraising for CRAI and to mobilise the community with the election forthcoming to let the Government know how the people feel.

Councillor Kevin Humphries said that he was impressed by the number of objections submitted to An Bord Pleanala but warned that they could be found wanting just as happened in Ringaskiddy. He said that the Labour party would keep up pressure against the scheme especially as elections were imminent.