Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The interesting point is that the Minister, Deputy McDowell, now has a difficult decision to make because he knows from a statement made by the Minister, Deputy Roche, on a radio programme this morning that the Poolbeg incinerator plan is Government policy. I wonder if the Minister is elsewhere at the moment considering his resignation, as that would be the only logical thing for him to do.

Ten years ago Montreal had to forfeit a large amount of taxpayers' money to have an incinerator removed. Perhaps the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government needs to come clean about the real costs that will be incurred over the next 30 years if his preferred waste facilities are allowed to be built. The figure of €250 million is the price tag so far for the Poolbeg black box incinerator plan. Meanwhile the first step to be taken, which the Minister, Deputy Roche, has still not made a requirement, is the total segregation of wet material from the remaining dry material. This is now legally required in Toronto and in more than half of the towns, cities and municipalities in Ontario. This results in more than 50% of waste being diverted from landfill from the start in terms of wet or dry material. It is a very simple requirement. The dry materials are then further segregated and any awkward composite items are then collected and returned to the importer or the manufacturer. The Minister needs to get his finger out and use the law we have given him to reduce waste.

In Canada they call this the stewardship programme; here we call it the Waste Management Act 1996. If the Minister reads section 29(3) and (4) of that Bill, he will note the powers contained in it to tackle the importers, manufacturers and people who are polluting and creating the waste. If Ireland can end litter generated from the use of plastic bags, we can also reduce other forms of waste. If Canada can ban Teflon frying pans because of cancer concerns and waste disposal problems, Ireland can do likewise.

The Government has the power to design the taking of waste out of homes, workplaces and countries but it chooses instead to support the polluters and they dump on the people. When the election is held perhaps the polluters will vote for a Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government but the people certainly will not.

See this speech in context