Jack Wall
Ceist:260 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the position regarding local authorities who have privatised their waste collection system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31568/01]
Written Answers. - Waste Management.
Under the Waste Management Act, 1996, each local authority has a qualified obligation to collect, or to arrange for the collection of, household waste within its func tional area, except in so far as an adequate waste collection service is available the area concerned.
In accordance with this procedure, domestic waste collection services are operated directly by local authorities, by private operators under contract to local authorities, and by such operators acting independently.
The specific circumstances addressed by the Supreme Court judgment of 8 November 2001 involved a household waste collection service provided by a local authority. As regards the implications of that judgment, I refer to the reply to Question No. 158 of 5 December 2001.