asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that roadside dumping in rural areas has become a serious problem in County Meath and County Kildare, particularly in parts nearer Dublin; if he is aware that many of those responsible are not resident in the county in which the dumping takes place; and if he will adopt a national policy of making available supervised public dumping facilities on a wider scale, particularly on Saturdays, to convenience those working on other days of the week.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Refuse Disposal Facilities.
101.
I am not so aware. As I indicated in the course of my reply to the debate on the Estimate for my Department—column 44 of the Official Report—on 27th October, 1971, sanitary authorities were asked to review existing refuse collection and dumping arrangements with a view to elimination of indiscriminate dumping. I asked them to include in their review the question of availability of adequate dumping facilities. They were also asked to make arrangements to clear away dumped material lying in unauthorised places. The measures to be taken in any particular area are a matter for the sanitary authority concerned.
Is the Minister satisfied that sufficient dumps are open at the weekend for private individuals to deposit refuse?
The whole control of dumps is a matter for the sanitary authorities. I am not aware that there is any great demand that they should be open on Sunday.
Could I qualify that by saying Saturday?
I am satisfied that the local authorities are operating the dumps in the best manner possible. If the Deputy feels that there are some areas where they should be opened on Saturday and that they are not I would certainly have the matter looked into. I feel that in general these dumps are accessible in many areas and there is no barrier placed across them to prohibit entry by persons on Saturdays or even on Sundays. I visited a number of them on these days and they are quite accessible for anybody who wants to use them for the purpose of dumping rubbish.
Would the Minister not agree that a lot of trouble is caused by people who just drive out into the country and dump refuse by the side of the road?
This is one of the big problems in dealing with the litter problem generally.
Could legislation not be introduced to deal with this matter?
There is adequate legislation to prosecute them. If you catch them in the act and produce sufficient evidence to justify your case, there is adequate legislation to cover that; but it is very difficult to catch a person in the act of dumping, especially at night.
102.
asked the Minister for Local Government if an estimate has been made of the extra cost to ratepayers for the provision of refuse disposal facilities consequent on the increasingly widespread use of non-returnable bottles; and if, since his reply of 17th June, 1971, he has considered any proposals for the control of their use and in particular the proposal of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance (details supplied) for a levy on such bottles.
103.
asked the Minister for Local Government if his Department or any bodies under its aegis have carried out research into the possibilities of reconverting various types of household garbage into potentially useful materials; if it keeps in touch with experiments in other countries; and, if so, if he has any proposals in the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together.
I am not aware of any estimate having been made of the extra cost to ratepayers of the disposal of non-returnable bottles. I have no particular proposal at present in regard to control of use of non-returnable containers or re-conversion of various types of household garbage. I am having the general question of waste and its disposal kept under review and am keeping in touch with development in other countries.
I would point out that the suggestion by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance was made in an address to an international body and was a suggestion for consideration at international level.
Would the Minister not agree that we should be consistent and not be advocating measures for export which we are not prepared to do by example in this country?
I think the suggestion made was a praiseworthy one and probably one we should work towards and which should be worked towards on an international level in other countries.
If it is a credit-worthy one why has the Minister stated here that he is not even considering proposals in regard to the control of non-returnable bottles when the very nub of that speech made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance was a levy which would have the effect of controlling the use of non-returnable bottles.
I said I was keeping the whole question of the disposal of refuse under review.
The Minister is taking a long time to do this. Has he no specific proposals at the moment?
I have no specific proposals at this time.
Was the Parliamentary Secretary's proposal not good enough, so the Minister had to reject it?
The whole matter is under review.
104.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will introduce regulations to control the dumping of poisonous waste and refuse.
I have no power to make such regulations. The Local Government (Sanitary Service) Acts empower sanitary authorities to make appropriate provision for the disposal of waste and refuse in their areas, to take action against persons responsible for dumping matter which may be a nuisance or injurious to health, to make by-laws for the prevention of nuisances arising from the deposit of refuse and to take special steps in the case of material brought to their dumps which may be toxic or otherwise dangerous. The enforcement of these powers is a matter for the sanitary authorities. Furthermore, in the grant of planning permission under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963, a condition may be attached in relation to the disposal of waste.
I am not satisfied that the disposal of solid toxic wastes represents any serious problem in this country at the present time but I am aware that the disposal of such wastes may give rise to problems with the increase in industrialisation and mining activities and it is my intention that the matter will be kept under review.