Fingal bucks the trend to support Poolbeg Waste to Energy project.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

I am pleased that Fingal County Council voted to support the decision of the Dublin local authorities to proceed with the waste to energy project at Poolbeg at our meeting this evening. Councillors voted 19 to 16 with three abstentions for my motion that Fingal support the decision to proceed with the €500 million project. Fine Gael, Fiannal Fail, Labour and some independents supported the proposal with Sinn Fein, the Green Party and Anti Austerity members voting against.

Digging holes in the ground and burying our waste is Stone Age technology. Waste to energy has become a preferred method of rubbish disposal in the EU, and there are now 420 plants in Europe equipped to provide heat and electricity to more than 20 million people. Almost every modern city is availing of this technology but opposition here is based on ignorance and political cowardice.


With all our landfills in Dublin now closed and no proposals to open new ones, all of our refuse is trucked to landfills down the country or shipped abroad. In fact we are exporting over 300,000 tons of waste each year to WtE plants in Denmark, Holland and Swedan. This is likely to increase significantly with the uptake in the economy.

The project has cost some €105 million to date much of which would have to be written off were the project to be abandoned. The project was granted planning permission in 2007 but was delayed when former Minister for the Environment John Gormley of the Green Party refused to grant a foreshore licence. Not alone did this add additional costs to the project but could have provided construction jobs at a time and place where they were so badly needed.

A motion to reject the project by Councillor David Healy of the Geen Party, a former government adviser to Minister Gormley, was defeated by the same vote.

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Out of work but love football & fitness?

Friday, September 5, 2014

Are you over 18, out of work and love football and fitness? If so, then a new training course beginning this October in Dublin 15 could be for you! The FAI, Fingal County Council and Blanchardstown Area Partnership have teamed up to provide a unique opportunity for people who are unemployed and out of formal education to get involved in an innovative project designed to help them back into the workforce or onto further education.

Fingal Festival of Football
This career focused course aims to provide education and work opportunities for people who would like to pursue a career in Fitness Instruction and Football. The course is unique in Fingal and covers both ITEC Fitness Instructor and FAI coaching modules including; Anatomy & Physiology, Client Screening, First Aid, Diet And Nutrition, Resistance Training, Business Awareness, Studio Cycle, Kick Start 1Introduction to Coaching, Player/Personal Development, Pan Disability Certificate and an introductory Referees Course.

The ITEC Gym Instruction Certification delivered by Litton Lane Training centre is a major addition to this year’s course. This internationally recognised qualification will give participants the opportunity to join the workforce or set up their own fitness business.

Welcoming this new course, FAI Regional Manager, Gerry Reardan said: “This is a great opportunity for people in Fingal who are unemployed to get involved in a project designed to broaden their education and help them back into the workforce”. “The combination of ITEC Gym Instruction Certification and Football Coaching Badges included in the programme makes this course very attractive given the popularity of healthy pastimes and emphasis on healthy lifestyles”, he added. “The course is open to men and women and the qualifications and work experience it offers will provide a real boost to a person’s CV when looking for a job, a third level course or when setting up their own business”, he said.

The first courses begin on October 7th and applications are now being accepted.

To Apply contact denis.hyland@fai.ie or sports@fingal.ie

Closing date for applications is Friday Sept 26th

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