Jim Higgins
Ceist:318 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if grant aid is available from his Department in order to assist in paper and cardboard recycling schemes. [18845/97]
Written Answers. - Waste Recycling.
My Department provides grants, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, under the Operational Programme for Environmental Services 1994-99 to support capital expenditure by local authorities and the private sector on infrastructure for waste recycling. Several of the projects approved to date include the provision of facilities to recycle paper and cardboard. Applications received prior to the closing date of June 1996 are at present being reviewed and consideration is being given to the approval of further recycling grants.
A separate provision of some £103,000 is contained in Sub-head D.2.1 of my Department's Vote for 1997 in respect of expenditure on waste management generally. Expenditure from this provision can be applied, subject to sanction of the Department of Finance, to support various types of expenditure on waste management.