This decision has been taken in light of the fact that negotiations between Dublin Waste to Energy Ltd and their banks regarding finance are progressing towards a conclusion for the construction phase of the project.
In relation to the regulatory issues i.e. complaints regarding State Aid and Procurement, the City Council is actively engaged with the European Commission to assist them to reach a determination on these issues at the earliest possible date.
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The Dublin Waste to Energy Plant is needed more than ever. The Government’s new waste management policy wants Ireland to become independent of landfill and to manage our own waste.
The Waste to Energy Project is central to the Dublin Region Waste Plan, which aims to achieve 59% recycling, 16% landfill with the remaining 25% of non-recyclable waste being thermally treated at the Waste to Energy Plant, generating enough energy to provide electricity for the equivalent of 40,000 homes and district heating for another 50,000 homes equivalent.
Without the Dublin Waste to Energy Plant, Ireland is unlikely to meet the very challenging EU Diversion from Landfill target in 2016. Fines of up to €41m per annum may be imposed on the Irish taxpayer for non-compliance with this target.
Recycling rates in the Dublin region are currently at 42% (up from 10% in 1998 when the Dublin Region Waste Plan was adopted) and still quite a bit away from the 59% envisaged under the Plan. Almost 60% of Dublin's waste is still being trucked to landfills around the country or it is being sent abroad to be incinerated.
This is an untenable position having regard to the EU Waste Framework Directive as transposed into Irish law.
(CD)
