DUMP ISSUES WERE ‘LEAKED’
THE Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District said that he was disappointed to hear about a report about a dump at the back beach in the press.
He said that headlines about the dump, which does contain asbestos and ammoniacal nitrogen, potassium and manganese, had been ‘sensationalist’. In a report by environmental consultants Fehily Timoney for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, it was found that the dump contains more than 104,000 cubic metres of waste, including broken asbestos tiles, and features excessive levels of ammoniacal nitrogen, potassium and manganese.
The landfill was once the main dump for the town of Bray, but it is on the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown side of the border and on privately owned land.
The dump was closed in the late 1980s and sealed with topsoil. Cllr Matthews said that the directors of both Wicklow County Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council have been communicating with each other and the Environmental Protection Agency. ‘I did get a look at the report today briefly,’ he said. He said that the report suggests a number of measures to prevent erosion. The classification is low risk at the moment but that is subject to coastal erosion. If it continues the rate could be 20 metres in the next 50 years, we don’t know what could be exposed at that site.’
Cllr Christopher Fox said that swimmers who get in the sea all year round are very concerned. He said that communication between Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and their nearest neighbour has been dreadful. ‘ This report should have been on our table.’ Cllr John Ryan said that the whole of Bray should be taken into County Wicklow. He said that they should write to the Dun Laoghaire Cathaoirleach and CEO and express their frustration that the report was leaked. ‘It’s wrong, and disrespectful, that councillors should find out this way,’ he said.
Cllr Pat Vance said that he has had communication briefly with the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Cathaoirleach about discussing areas of mutual interest.
Cllr Matthews said that it is very worrying for everyone and he will get a copy of the report distributed to all members. THE Cathaoirleach, Cllr Steven Matthews said at last week’s meeting of Bray Municipal District that they hadn’t visited the subject of a skateboard park in a while.
‘We have funding, and the desire from the skateboarders. It’s down to us to find a suitable location,’ he said.
‘ The location chosen previous wasn’t acceptable wasn’t acceptable to a great many people,’ he said.
‘I would have liked to look at a design and make an informed decision,’ he said.’
Cllr Matthews said that no progress has been made on identifying a site.
‘Is it up to the councillors to find a location, or the town administrator to present us with a wider list of options?’ said Cllr Michael O’Connor.
Cllr Christopher Fox said that he wanted to acknowledge the work done by Bray Skateboarding Association in removing graffiti from a shelter on the seafront. ‘It was such a positive thing to do and it reflects very well on them. This is not an antisocial group. These were very positive actions and I was struck by it,’ said Cllr Fox.
‘We should acknowledge that they got out and showed some civic pride on the seafront.’
Cllr Pat Vance said that skateboarders have been badly treated.
‘A lot of promised were made and reneged upon. I told them this was going to happen.
‘I have an idea. I don’t know if it will work out, I want to explore it a bit more.’
Cllr Matthews said that in the site selection process members asked the executive to suggest sites.
‘We agreed around this table that we would look at a design for a particular location. Some people seemed to change their minds.’
He said that if Cllr O’Connor or any members have ideas for a location, they should talk to the engineer.
‘Let’s do this properly and get a park for the skateboarders,they deserve it,’ said Cllr Matthews.