Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
117. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if any of the recommendations contained in a report commissioned in 2018 from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission into the operation of the household waste collection market have been adopted; if there are any plans to appoint a waste regulator in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43721/22]
View answerThe recommendations of the 2018 Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) report, including the recommendation that an economic regulator be established for household waste collection, were fully considered during the process of drafting of our current national waste policy, A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, (WAPCE) which I launched In September 2020.
While the WAPCE does not envisage the introduction of such a regulator for the waste sector it does contain a range of measures to empower households through enhanced consumer protection requirements.
The over arching recommendation of the CCPC report was to ensure that all the State’s resources are co-ordinated to deliver optimal outcomes for this market. I believe significant progress has been made in this regard through the co-ordination of resources in the household waste market. The establishment of the three Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, the three Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities, the Trans Frontier Shipment Office and the National Waste Collection Permit Office have all contributed to a more co-ordinated approach to waste management planning and enforcement. In addition the establishment of the new post of Local Government Waste Programme Coordinator in 2021 will play a crucial role in supporting the various stakeholders in ensuring the efficient delivery of local, regional, and national waste targets.
