Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

In respect of people in European Commissioners' cabinets or otherwise, it is a matter for the incumbent to decide such issues. That is the case here as it was in previous situations. The Deputy chooses his own cabinet and does not go around advertising it. I am sure none of his party members was aware of it if he did.

There is a statutory basis under which top level appointments to public bodies are set up. They are not ad hoc, but are based on certain powers that are provided by the Oireachtas for the proper appointment of people in those situations. We indicated in the programme for Government that we would reform the process, and I imagine that would require legislation.

Regardless of whether one is emphasising waste management policy as a resource management issue, incineration is part of the waste hierarchy. There is no waste plan in the developed world where incineration is not part of the hierarchy. The issue is to what extent one manages the resources one has in the waste pyramid that can be used for recycling. One maximises recycling and when there is a residual waste issue beyond that, heat to energy and other such means of disposal are legitimate in that context. Waste policy has been set out for some years.

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