The Eastern Regional Health Authority is expected to press for more stringent safety precautions in the work under way to decontaminate a 20-acre former gasworks site at the Grand Canal Docks in Dublin.
Officials are to meet senior executives of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) this week following complaints by local residents that emissions from the site are causing headaches, sore throats, skin irritation, streaming eyes and nausea.
Mr John Gormley TD (Green Party) said he had been informed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that work was to cease until proper controls were put in place to prevent the escape of the gases, which were causing problems for local people.
"We are insisting that no work continue until a cast-iron guarantee can be given to the local community about the health and safety of the operation. If this means extra cost for the DDDA, so be it. As far as the Green Party is concerned, people's health will always come before profit."
Mr Gormley said complaints about noxious odours from the gasworks site had continued despite the DDDA's assurances that the odour thresholds of its EPA licence for the decontamination of the gasworks site had not been breached recently.
Last October, after a warning letter from the EPA, he claimed "absolutely no action" was taken by the DDDA to cover up stockpiles of contaminated soil containing heavy metals, cyanide and carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances.
A local action group, Docklanders Opposed to Contamination, also rejected the "bland assurances" of the DDDA. "This is no longer a simple case of nuisance. We believe the site now poses a very serious threat to the health of our community," a spokeswoman said.
"We were told by the DDDA and the EPA that the decontamination of the site would be perfectly safe and that our fears were groundless. Unfortunately, it has been much worse than we even expected. In the last two weeks, the emissions from the site have been overpowering."
Mr Gerry Kelly, the DDDA's community relations director, conceded that the opening up of two buried tar tanks on the site "did create increased odours in the area" and its contractors were working to sort out this problem.
"All the compounds being removed are being monitored on a daily basis and local residents and businesses are getting the results, which show that none of the compounds are anywhere near causing health or safety problems. But we did warn that there would be an increase in odours."
Mr Kelly said the contractors were working on measures to suppress the odours as well as screening for the tar tanks and stockpiles of soil awaiting export to the Netherlands for treatment. He expected the site would be cleaned up by July.
