Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 January 2013
176. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures in place to protect refuse customers from irregular pricing and the lack of detailed statements of weighs and costs from private waste operators who took over from local authority waste services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3280/13]
View answerMatters relating to the transfer of waste collection services by local authorities to private operators are matters in the first instance for the local authorities concerned.
My Department’s role is to provide a comprehensive legislative and waste policy framework through which the relevant regulatory bodies, such as local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency, operate. In this regard, I published A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland in July 2012, setting out a range of measures which will significantly revise the current regulatory regime to ensure, inter alia , that waste collection providers have Customer Charters in place. Customer Charters will be required clearly to set out information for customers in relation to issues such as charging structures, procedures for dealing with customers who may fall into arrears and arrangements for switching from one waste collector to another. Following the publication of the new waste policy, I wrote to the waste management industry in September and October, 2012 in relation to the development of such charters and I understand that a number of waste collection providers have already put in place a Customer Charter ahead of the development of the new regulatory regime.
It is my intention that the improved regulatory regime will deliver both enhanced environmental performance and ensure a quality service for consumers.
