Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Gabhaim buíochas don Cheann Comhairle as an seans an cheist a ardú. Tá áthas orm go bhfuil an tAire Stáit anseo.

This issue arises following the largest meeting ever of the Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland recently in Goatstown, Dublin. Contractors from a wide area were drawn together because they are faced with the serious problem of not having a site within reach to dispose of organic material such as grass cuttings, hedge clippings and so on. At the time it appeared the Esker Lane facility in Lucan, County Dublin, would close but it has been given a stay of execution, although it has a licence for only 5,000 tonnes of waste. It is in danger of being overrun.

In addition, since January the St. Anne's Park facility has not been available. It operated for 15 years but, due to the mismanagement of the facility and the failure to address problems such as odours, spores and traffic, the patience of residents in the area has run out. However, the issue of the disposal of green waste needs to be addressed. The St. Anne's facility recycled 25,000 tonnes of valuable material, which was returned to landscape contractors for use in their work. Following a meeting between the contractors and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government two months ago, the Government failed to take decisive action to facilitate and ensure the creation of green material reception facilities and transfer stations within the greater Dublin area, which could provide an outlet.

I have been asked by the association to raise the issue of waste licences. A licence is needed even where a two-wheel trailer is used to move material between two customers as that is considered to be a transfer of waste, even though it comprises useful material such as grass clippings, which is not waste. The issue needs to be addressed for practical reasons. Such material should be exempt under the regulations for waste carriage licences because positive ecological operations are restricted.

The association seeks an allowance for the storage of a maximum of 50 cubic metres of green material to encourage people to compost on site, which many of us are encouraged to do by local authorities. However, in doing so, if we do not have a waste licence, we are breaking the law, which is ridiculous given that we are doing our best to avoid sending waste to landfill, as are landscape contractors.

Will the Minister of State ensure the Government provides the necessary facilities, which are widely available in other countries? Galway is once again ahead of many other towns and cities in that one third of its municipal waste is used for composting. It is a misnomer to describe it as waste because it is useful material. My colleague, Councillor Niall Ó Brolcháin, in Galway has been to the fore in lobbying for the construction of that facility. I hope that example can be followed elsewhere, particularly as it is following throughout Connacht. Green material must be put in a skip, which must be paid for, and that is not all, since it also goes to landfill and creates methane, something on which we are trying to cut down, as well as leachate. It is also a needless waste of a valuable material. One hopes the Minister will see his way to according this matter the priority it deserves.

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