Vol. 501 No. 6
272 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the penalties Ireland will suffer if individual local authorities do not achieve the targets, set out in Directive 94/62/EC for 25 per cent recovery of packaging waste by 30 June 2001; the recovery rate in each local authority; and if the liability for fines arising from non-compliance with the directive will be met by the local authorities or the Exchequer. [6696/99]
I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 12, 16 and 55 of 28 January 1999.
The National Waste Database Report for 1995 indicates that 21.9 per cent of packaging waste was recycled in that year. Equivalent data in respect of individual local authority areas is not available.
Articles 169 and 171 of the treaty establishing the European Community set out the procedure which may be followed where the European Commission considers that a member state has failed to fulfil an obligation under the treaty. The imposition of a financial penalty on a member state may, but does not necessarily, arise under this procedure.
