Vol. 546 No. 5
182 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has completed deliberations with regard to the introduction of a levy per tonne per annum on domestic waste; if he will confirm the rate at which the levy will be set; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties that the delay in announcing this levy is causing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32175/01]
In the consultation paper issued by my Department on the landfill levy I proposed that the levy would be introduced at an initial flat rate of 15 per tonne, with annual increases thereafter of 5 per tonne. This rate of levy should be used by local authorities and the private waste industry for the purpose of forward planning for 2002.
The closing date for the receipt of submissions on the consultation paper was 30 November. The final decision on the level and structure of the levy will be announced at the earliest practicable date, following consideration in my Department of the 30 submissions received from industry, representative bodies and local and other public authorities.
