Exporting residual waste is not an outcome Ireland should rely on in the long term, says a new report from Ireland’s professional body for engineers and engineering. Such export can only result in missed opportunities to generate energy and create jobs, it says.
The report calls for the construction of more waste-to-energy facilities in Ireland, saying that the lack of infrastructure means that Ireland has to pay for its hazardous waste to be exported. Waste-to-energy facilities in the Netherlands, Belgium and in Scandinavia generate electricity and heat from the waste as well creating green jobs for these economies, it says.
The report found that Ireland’s water infrastructure is inadequately maintained as it is unable to meet peak demand and needs investment. The report, The State of Ireland 2013 – a review of infrastructure in Ireland said that the country Ireland also struggles to meet peak demand in transport.
Both communications and energy infrastructure were found to be properly maintained and of acceptable standard but requiring investment, according to the Engineers Ireland assessment.
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The report uses a grading system to analyse five key areas of Ireland’s infrastructure: communications, energy, transport, waste and water.
Communications infrastructure, allocated a ‘B+’ grade achieved the best mark of the five areas evaluated but remained unchanged from 2013. Energy was also unchanged with a ‘B’ grade. Waste dropped from a ‘B-‘ to ‘C’ and flooding from a ‘C’ to ‘D’. None of the sectors assessed achieved the highest possible ‘A’ grade.
Engineers Ireland director general John Power acknowledged the ongoing economic challenges faced by the county and the need to prioritise the recommendations in the report. “Investment in economic infrastructure will always generate a positive payback and the reality is capital investment is vital to meet the government’s desire to stimulate the economy. This report recognises the infrastructural challenges facing the country but also acknowledges that some of those are opportunities for job creation providing us with a much needed economic boost.”
Other recommendations include improved national road networks between cities on the west coast as well as developing initiatives to encourage commuters to switch from their cars to other sustainable modes of transport in urban areas. A new funding mechanism for national road projects has to be developed.
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