merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD today welcomed the confirmation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of their decision to grant a waste licence for the remediation of East Tip site at Haulbowline Island, in accordance with section 42(2) of the Waste Management Act 1996, (as amended) and subject to the detailed conditions attached.

Commenting on the EPA’s official confirmation, the Minister said “I welcome the final decision by the EPA to grant this licence (subject to the specific conditions attached). This decision will now enable Cork County Council (my Department’s agents in this project) to commence the complex and detailed design phase of the core remediation project. Getting this aspect right will be crucial to the overall success of the project and ensure that the entire Haulbowline Island site can thrive and prosper into the future. I am determined that this project will proceed with minimal delays and the considerable work undertaken this year in particular by both Cork County Council and my own Department has enabled this further key project milestone to be achieved. The whole of Island approach adopted is leading to significant progress in the remediation project which will help transform Haulbowline Island into a major civic amenity in the Cork Harbour region within a relatively short time span. In the past few months alone, we have seen An Bord Pleanála grant its overall approval for the remediation project, commencement of work to repair the Haulbowline Island access Bridges and now, the granting of a waste management licence by the EPA. The significant economic activity on the island is already bringing benefits to the local economy, gradually transforming the Island into a

genuine national infrastructural asset and an integral part of the Government’s plans for Cork Harbour. ”

Note for Editors

The Government conveyed approval to the Minister for Agriculture. Food and the Marine for the clean-up of the former ISPAT site on Haulbowline Island in 2011. Cork County Council is acting as agent of the Minister in the remediation of the site. Key elements of the remediation plans were the planning application for works on the East Tip, lodged with An Bord Pleanála in October 2013 and the waste licence application, submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency in November 2013. The approval of both planning and waste licence applications has involved complex and detailed preparatory work by Cork County Council and the Department and clears the way for the completion of the project over the next two to three years. Haulbowline Island is located within Cork Harbour, between Cobh to the north and Ringaskiddy to the south. The site (known as the East Tip) contains approximately 650,000m3 of steelworks waste that was deposited on sand spit over a 40 year period. Access to the Island by road is from Ringaskiddy via bridges which transverse Rocky Island.