Vol. 560 No. 3
113 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the way in which he defines the polluter pays principle; and his views on whether such proposals must be rooted in the principle of a zero waste strategy and dealing with the wider issues such as service charges and the empowerment of local government. [2775/03]
The polluter pays principle, or PPP, seeks to ensure that the costs arising from environmental damage are borne by those responsible and not imposed on society as a whole. By internalising these costs, economic actors are given an effective incentive to take negative effects into account when making cho ices about production or consumption. The application of the PPP is contained in Article 174 of the consolidated Amsterdam treaty and is a specific legal requirement under various elements of EU environmental legislation.
In the area of waste management, the framework directive, 75/442/EEC, makes explicit provision for implementation of the PPP, by requiring the cost of disposing of waste to be borne by the holder who has waste handled by a waste collector. The Government recognises, as fundamental to efficient waste management, that all producers of waste should pay fully for its collection, treatment and disposal. Accordingly, application of appropriate waste service charges is both a requirement of EU legislation and consistent with national waste management policy.
The provision included in the Protection of the Environment Bill 2003 will allow for the making of different charges based on the quantity, volume or type of waste involved. It will therefore facilitate incentivisation of waste prevention, minimisation and re-use, considerations which are part of the internationally recognised hierarchy of waste management options, although also commonly associated with so-called "zero waste strategies". Waste service charges are, and under the Bill will remain, matters in the first instance for local authorities. The ability to raise income locally for the services provided by local authorities is an important aspect of the empowerment of local government.
Does the Minister agree that in reality the consumer pays and not the polluter? We need disincentives to prevent things continuing as they are and we need incentives for less emissions and for better, reusable, recyclable and reduced packaging. Does the Minister agree that we need clear thinking and not the muddled Government policy we currently have, with tax incentives for wind farms being cut? We also have the bizarre situation in Louth and Meath where consumers who visit civic amenity centres to deposit recyclable items are being charged. In other words, this is a disincentive for them to recycle.
We were told during the incineration and waste management debate 18 months ago that Irish people would never recycle and now people are falling over themselves to recycle, particularly with the ever-increasing cost of refuse disposal, but local authorities in the charge of the Minister are responsible for disincentives to recycle. Can the Minister take the initiative and fund local authorities adequately while stopping the madness of presenting people with disincentives to recycle?
I do not accept the generalisations the Deputy makes when talking about all local authorities. As we know, some local authorities have been very proactive in this area and lead the way. They are far ahead of some other auth orities. That is of great credit to local authority members and the executive that works with them. In each local authority area, people know their responsibilities and I am trying to encourage them to get on with this. Since I came into office, I have announced €15 million in funding which I have made available to local authorities for recycling facilities. This has significantly increased the numbers available. I accept and have publicly acknowledged that we need a lot more in terms of recycling.
Is it right that people should be charged?
In the next few weeks, I will announce substantial further grants regarding the environment. I am aiming most of the public resources available to me at the area of recycling. That is a crucial element and will deliver about 50% of what is being produced in waste back into the recycling area, thereby substantially reducing the funding needed for other aspects such as landfill.
The strategy for waste management, and its four elements, have at last been put in place. Unfortunately, local authorities have for the last ten years sat on their hands and would not take the necessary decisions. There is no point talking to me on behalf of local authorities. My predecessor as Minister had to take some of the powers to drive the agenda and I intend—
That was because the Minister defeated democracy.
I have no doubts about this and it is clear to all local authority members. The public are supportive of this process and want the strategy implemented.
They do not want to pay for recycling.
They want prevention, minimisation, recycling, landfill and thermal treatment as part of the solution.
They do not want tariffs.
Those are the four key elements. All of the regional integrated waste management strategies have now been adopted, though that happened just last year. Now that we have them, substantial progress is being made on their implementation. I would hope Deputies such as Deputy Morgan, who I believe is a member of a local authority—
That is correct.
Now that the dual mandate has been removed, it will be possible to focus on local council members so that they will not just make decisions based on a political analysis but on what is fundamentally important to representing the people in their areas.
The Minister should talk to his Cabinet colleagues about that.
