By Jim O’Connell

People Before Profit Election Candidate Cork South Central

On Monday 15th Feb. I attended another Public Meeting in Ringaskiddy on the topic of Indaver’s latest attempt to force a poisonous incinerator project on the people of the village and the Cork Harbour area.
When I got there I was pleased to see the hall filled to the brim and people standing outside in the porches trying to hear what was being said. Because of the crowding I only caught portions of the presentation of Cllr Marcia D’Alton but I can assure all that, as usual, it was full of informative insight and passionate concern.
In the discussion that followed there was very vocal anger of the audience at the possibility of the incinerator project they had defeated in the past being rammed through by profit hungry Indaver and complicit state entities including past and present goverment TDs and Ministers who put the profits of corporations before the health and well-being of people and the environment.
The mantra from the establishment was, once again, as could be expected.
Michael McGrath FF talked of addressing the problem within the confines of objecting re the grounds accepted by the planners on the past.
Simon Coveney FG followed suit as well as using the opportunity to extol the virtues of all the improvements in the Harbour area as if they were all his doing.
After the meeting people lined up to sign up their objections to the project for the planning authorities.
This is something that needs to be done. The planning process needs to be utilised to try to do what was done in the past: Put a Stop to plans for a highly toxic, dangerous incinerator to be sited in an area already under threat from major pollution sources.
However, contrary to what McGrath and Coveney would say this is only one facet of the necessary resistance.
Despite huge effort and expense by activists across the area Indaver with the complicity of the state systems and institutions and the weapons of major funding and mostly indifference by the corporate controlled mainstream media are once again threatening the people of Ringaskiddy and the greater Cork Harbour area.
Another major facet of the fight needs to be People Power. We all need to take to the streets in a show of resistance. People and groups from all across Cork and further afield should pledge their support for any actions undertaken by activists in Ringaskiddy, including supporting acts of public protest and civil disobedience.
The exploitative might of the wealthy and influential must be countered and defeated by the might and influence of ordinary people mobilising together against another threat to the health and well-being of us all including generations into the future.
Together we must stand putting People Before Profit.
No Incinerator Means No Incinerator!