Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 July 2013
84. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a detailed update on his Department’s development of a new domestic waste policy setting out a range of proposals to significantly revise the existing regulatory regime; and when he expects this process to conclude. [33805/13]
View answer114. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a progress report on his plans to introduce legislation to provide for standards and quality of service by private contractors providing refuse collection services in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33619/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 114 together.
The Government’s national waste policy, A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland, sets out a range of measures which will significantly revise the current regulatory regime for household waste collection to ensure, inter alia, that waste collected is managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy, that mandated service levels are delivered and that Customer Charters are put in place by all waste collection providers. The work of developing new regulatory structures to give effect to these proposals is continuing and my Department is engaging with a range of key stakeholders in relation to the detailed design of the new system.
Following the publication of the waste policy, I wrote to the waste management industry in relation to the development of Customer 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. I also intend to initiate a public consultation process shortly on the environmental regulation of household waste collection further to inform the detailed development of the new regulatory regime. It is my intention that the new approach would deliver both enhanced environmental performance and a quality service for consumers.
