Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2016
541. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the arrangements he plans to put in place to ensure householders do not have to pay by weight for adult incontinence pads; the arrangement in place to ensure that waste management companies comply with this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32013/16]
View answer542. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to raise public awareness and understanding of customers of the new pay by weight system (details supplied); the proposed structure of the intended review; the person he proposes would carry out this review; the terms of reference in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32014/16]
View answer543. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will outline the full details of the terms of the agreement reached with the Irish Waste Management Association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32015/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 541 to 543, inclusive, together.
The charges 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, including contract and consumer legislation.
The waste management industry had committed to providing a full weight allowance for the disposal of non-infancy incontinence wear to patients supplied with such products by the HSE, if a mandatory pay-by-weight per kilogramme charging system was introduced for household waste collection on 1 July 2016.
As the waste industry began releasing its proposed prices under a mandatory pay-by-weight system in June 2016, the Government relayed its concern to the industry regarding the reported escalation of waste bills for customers of certain companies and it was not implemented. However, my Department engaged with representatives of the waste industry to agree a way forward that results in all customers paying no more for the same level of service than they were currently paying for waste collection over the 12 month period to 1 July 2017. The Irish Waste Management Association, Greyhound and CityBin were directly involved in the discussions which led to the agreement.
My Department, in consultation with the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, had designed a public awareness campaign to coincide with the introduction of a mandatory pay-by-weight charging structure. However, with the removal of mandatory pay-by-weight charging, this campaign was withdrawn. As previously announced, a review of pay-by-weight is to take place prior to the end of the agreement in July 2017. Depending on the outcome of this review, a new publicity campaign will be rolled out as appropriate.
