Noel Dempsey
Ceist:9 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that hospitals have ceased incineration due to a lack of funding for the upgrading of existing facilities. [9318/96]
Written Answers. - Hospital Incineration Facilities.
Limerick East): There is a commitment in the Government's policy document, A Government of Renewal, to bring forward a programme to replace existing incinerators for the disposal of clinical and hospital waste with new non-incineration technologies.
My Department is implementing this commitment by arranging for tenders to be invited from specialist waste disposal contractors for the provision of a collection and non-incineration disposal service. The tendering process has commenced in accordance with the EU tendering procedures for public procurement, and a contract will be awarded before the end of this year. The funding necessary to finance this contract will be made available to the relevant health agencies.