Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

I propose to share time with Deputies Cowley, Finian McGrath and McHugh.

I welcome the opportunity to support this motion on recycling and waste management. One of my main difficulties with a debate on recycling and waste management strategy is that all other alternatives were not tried first and our official policy is incineration. We spend €60 million to €90 million building incinerators. This in turn will encourage us to produce waste to keep feeding the incinerators. They are built at high cost and will not be left lying idle. That is a major difficulty. It encourages bad practice.

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