Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
947. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on progress being made in implementing the resource opportunity waste management policy, particularly in relation to keeping costs down for the consumer and waste enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38276/13]
View answerCharges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, particularly the conditions attached to each waste collection permit issued under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007 as amended.
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 to further 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.
The waste policy also identifies the need for a review of the effectiveness of current structures as regards waste enforcement. This review is currently underway and is being led by a working group chaired by my Department and also involving the EPA, the local authorities, and other agencies with a role in enforcement. It is expected that the review will be completed by the end of the year.
Among the measures contained in the policy, which will play an important role in the provision of effective and efficient delivery of waste management services is the reduction in the number of waste management planning regions from 10 to 3. The County and City Managers Association has confirmed the composition of the three new Waste Management Planning Regions - which correspond with the regional structures set out in the Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government - and ratified the Lead Authorities tasked with developing new plans for the three Waste Management Planning Regions.
An inter - departmental working group was established under the policy to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low income households. The Working Group, which comprises representatives of my Department and the Departments of Social Protection; Public Expenditure and Reform; Finance; and the Tánaiste's Office, submitted its second report to Government on 23 July, 2013. Government considered the report and, given the complexity of the issues involved, the deployment of further expert resources in the process is being considered with a view to the Working Group submitting a third report to Government by the end of 2013.
