Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)

I welcome the report from the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan. I also welcome the aspirations in the programme for Government. Much deliberation and thought is required to arrive at a proper formula to deal with the waste management difficulties in this country over the next few years.

As I am aware from my local authority in County Kerry, there must be clarification from the Minister regarding the implications of the European Union services directive for local authorities involved in waste collection. There are only eight local authorities, in conjunction with private operators, still involved in waste collection and I am aware that three of them are actively trying to get out of that service provision. Another two that are under the radar are seriously contemplating getting out of the service. That seriously reduces the number involved. Kerry County Council will continue to be actively involved but there is much uncertainty about how the policy will proceed in the future. I am open to correction but I understand the Minister stated prior to the election that local authorities should be encouraged to get out of the business and let it be privatised.

Perhaps the Minister will give further clarification because the counties that continue to provide the service require it. How will local authorities proceed in this area? Is there a future for them in the business if they stay in that market? They have their projected figures and business plans for the next few years and they need to know what the situation will be with regard to upgrading their lorries and machinery and the future of jobs for the workforce.

I agree with Deputy Mattie McGrath that there must be more awareness about our green school policy. I commend the Minister on the money he has made available for the forthcoming Tidy Towns competition. We must create a sense of civic spirit in our communities, towns and villages. The national spring clean was also mentioned by Deputy Mattie McGrath. These are wonderful programmes which we should promote to maintain a sense of community awareness and involvement.

There should be further promotion of recycling. Revamping is a new concept that has become popular in some counties. It originated over the past 12 months through local development groups. A large amount of furniture is now being refurbished and renewed and this is providing a form of employment. There is a social inclusion element in terms of involving people who have been out of the jobs market for many years and who would never otherwise get a job. The settled Traveller community is very much involved in it in Kerry, which is commendable. The people promoting the scheme are also to be commended. I ask the Government to maintain support for such schemes.

As has been said, the wrapping on products is overdone. It is a marketing ploy but it is a matter that must be examined by the major companies involved in the provision of groceries and so forth. There is also the issue of the paper disposal market. The market was fluctuating a couple of years ago and much of the paper was exported. We should recycle it here. There is inequity in the waste collection system throughout the country, particularly in rural areas such as mine. There is a very poor collection service available to people in rural and isolated areas.

Will the Minister to encourage councils, particularly town councils, to investigate incineration in European countries. We are disposing of 60% of our municipal waste in landfill; it is only 1% in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden. I have seen it in operation and it is very effective if there is a good, clean and efficient operation in filtering and so forth. There must be further investigation of it because it also provides renewable energy for heating.

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