Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2014
584. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 5 December 2013, if he will provide an update on his Department's position on the need for regulatory reform of household waste collection; and the outcome of his Department's public consultation on this matter. [40353/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department published a consultation document on the regulation of household waste collection on 28 November 2013 to guide the development of the new regulatory regime to strengthen and improve the regulation of household waste collection. Over 90 submissions were received from organisations across a wide spectrum, including the waste industry, public bodies, public representatives and the public. Taking account of that consultation process and the submissions received, I intend to introduce legislation early next year, to come into effect in July 2015, to significantly reform the regulation of household waste collection, including introducing measures to require collectors to operate the "pay-by-weight" system across all 3 bins as a condition of the permit and to meet certain minimum standards of customer service (for example, specified frequencies of collection). It will also become a statutory requirement for all collectors to have customer charters in place. I will be setting out in law what the minimum content of these customer charters will be, so that standards of service are raised and are consistent.
