A senior executive from a toxic waste incineration company planning to build two plants in Co Cork and Co Meath has been appointed by the Government as a full-time director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Ms Laura Burke, the project manager for Indaver Ireland's proposed incinerators at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, and Carrenstown, Co, Meath, will serve for five years on the agency's executive board.
Ms Burke, along with Mr Dara Lynott, who has served with the EPA since 1995, were chosen by the Government from a list agreed by an independent statutory committee set up to deal with senior EPA appointments.
This body is made up of the secretary general of the Department of the Environment, Mr Niall Callan; Ms Mary Doyle, assistant secretary, Department of the Taoiseach; Mr Frank Corcoran, chairman of An Taisce; Mr Sean Dorgan, the chief executive of the IDA; Mr Frank Vaughan, of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions; and Ms Joanna McMinn, the chief executive officer of the National Women's Council of Ireland.
However, Ms Burke's appointment was greeted with dismay by the Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment, which is in a legal battle with Indaver Ireland.
A spokeswoman, Ms Linda Fitzpatrick, said the appointment was "inappropriate" because Ms Burke has been centrally involved in Indaver's projects in the Republic.
"Ms Burke has spent the last three years extolling the virtues of incineration, and the necessity of the Cork and Meath incinerators. How is she now going to turn around and put on an independent face with regard to incineration?"
Sinn Féin also questioned the appointment. Cllr Daithi Doolan said: "While I don't know Ms Burke, and while I don't doubt her capabilities as an individual, the appointment of such a strong advocate for the incineration industry to the agency tasked with enforcing pollution controls and protecting the environment would seem incompatible and highly questionable."
