The Green Party is calling for Fine Gael and Labour to "come clean" over the construction of the Poolbeg incinerator in Dublin.

Party Leader, Eamon Ryan, said their "continuing silence is untenable" after it was revealed €44m of public money is to be invested in the project.

Mr Ryan is urging the Government to explain which of the investors will be first to get burnt when not enough waste is found to feed the oversized facility.

He said: "Michael Noonan needs to outline what rate of return the Strategic Investment Fund will get from their investment, and who authorised that decision, given that the fund is operating without any legislative remit.

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"His Department say that he had no role in the decision, but it is simply not credible that €44 million of public money was gambled without ministerial approval. Alan Kelly is also hiding his role in the process, and it's time he came clean about what he knew, when he knew it, and why he refused to shout 'Stop'.

"In opposition, Fine Gael were vocal opponents of the Poolbeg incinerator, but one of their first acts in Government was to facilitate the project by scrapping the incineration levy introduced by John Gormley. The Labour Party say they are in favour of a 'zero waste' policy, but Alan Kelly has refused to answer any questions about a plant which prevents that goal being achieved."

The construction of the incinerator began yesterday, 21 October.

(CD/JP)