Investigators from Northern Ireland’s Environment Agency (NIEA) discovered several cases of illegal dumping. It was found that the bulk of responsibility for these crimes lay with the Republic. The Irish Government has therefore accepted 80pc of the cost (up to €35 million) of disposing of the material properly (Irish Independent).
This is a good example of law enforcement in a functional jurisdiction – Crime detected followed by a professional investigation. Perpetrators identified and made accountable.
In our dysfunctional jurisdiction a Department of the Environment spokesperson said they are hoping to reclaim some of the cost through prosecutions.
In response the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, mouthed the usual meaningless waffle.
“Every effort would be made to track those responsible and to recover the cost from them.”
“We have to pursue those responsible because environmental crime costs the State. The individuals involved have to be brought to justice.”
Nothing will happen, there will be no proper investigation and there will be no prosecutions. The taxpayer will be forced to pay up and it’s on to the next scandal.
Copy to:
John Gormley
It is usual, and quite likely in this case, that lots of people ‘knew what was going on…’ and still do. It will be talked about in the pub; at the match, at the church gate – but not in Court. Have you ever noticed that when ROI County Councils seem to embark on a huge environmental campaign, usually slurry ponds, illegal dumping or the like – that it must be patently obvious what has been going on for months and sometimes years, yet they did nothing about it. Where in the dickens were all those truckloads of garbage going??? Beats me… Nobody noticed, nobody said anything, nobody did screw-all. And ypou are right, this will be kicked around by inefficient and inept people until it becomes lost in the pile of shit we are beginning to call history. And not one penny will be put back into the public purse from the fat-cats who profited from it.This is corruption at its worst, from the Mafia type operation to the code of Omerta which lets it run.