Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 June 2004
21 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position with regard to the promised regulations concerning end-of-life-vehicles; when the regulations will come into operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16516/04]
View answerMember states were required to transpose the provisions of European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles, ELVs, into national legislation by 21 April 2002, that is, within 18 months after the adoption of the directive on 21 October 2000. My Department has been actively engaged with the Society for the Irish Motor Industry, SIMI, the Irish Motor Vehicle Recyclers Association, IMVRA, the Metal Recyclers Association of Ireland, MRAI, and other stakeholders since before the adoption of the directive with regard to the effective implementation of the directive.
The delay in transposing and implementing the directive is primarily due to difficulties encountered in reaching agreement with the relevant sectors on the detailed mechanisms for the operation of the free ELV take back arrangements required by the directive, including how such arrangements will be funded.
The legal proceedings initiated by the European Commission against Ireland in this matter relate to partial transposition into national legislation and non-implementation of the directive provisions. In this regard, enabling provisions to facilitate implementation of the directive were incorporated in the Protection of the Environment Act 2003. It is intended to make regulations later this year fully transposing the directive provisions and facilitating its full implementation in 2005.
