PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release                                                                 

May 12, 2004

CHASE ALERT EU HEALTH MINISTERS TO IRELANDS BREACH OF EU LAW

Members of CHASE are this morning (Wed 12 May) staging a demonstration outside Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork at 8.15am as EU Health Ministers arrive to meet as part of Irelands Presidency of the EU.

CHASE are demonstrating to alert the Health Ministers of Europe of Irelands shameful breach of EU Law.  EU Law says that you must  “assess the risk to people's health before approving an incinerator”.  This was not done in the case of the Ringaskiddy Incinerator where An Bord Pleanala flatly and specifically refused to allow discussion of health related issues during the oral hearing.

A CHASE spokesperson said “Martin Cullen is using every means possible to rail-road incineration into Ireland despite all warnings in relation to the health effects of incineration.  He was shown to be wrong with the e-voting fiasco, and is heading down the same road with incineration. 

A report commissioned by his own Department of the Environment carried out by the Health Review Board (HRB) concluded that Ireland did not have the resources to monitor the health effects of incineration on the population.  The HRB Report also stated that “there is some evidence that incinerator emissions may be associated with respiratory morbidity” and “a number of well-designed studies have reported associations between developing certain cancers and living close to incinerator sites”

CHASE aims today to alert the Ministers across Europe that Ireland has shunned responsibility for the health of its people by not implementing EU Law properly.  This is particularly embarrassing for the Irish Government as holders of the prestigious EU Presidency.”

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For further information contact:

Linda FitzPatrick, CHASE PRO   Tel: 021 4374506  Mobile: 087 7410849

Mary O’Leary, Chairperson, CHASE    Tel: 021 4811952  Mobile: 086 8177737