Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

Waste activities in Ireland are required to hold an authorisation in accordance with the Waste Management Act 1996; the terms of such authorisations are primarily derived from requirements of EU directives on waste and specific waste streams such as end-of-life vehicles or electronic waste. Depending on the authorisation required, these activities are controlled either by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, or by local authorities as competent authorities nominated by the State to implement such legislation. The purpose of these controls is to regulate the collection, recovery or disposal of waste in order to protect the environment.

Enforcement of waste legislation is a matter either for the EPA's office of environmental enforcement, OEE, with regard to waste licences or for local authorities with regard to waste permits. The OEE operates an enforcement network to foster co-operation between the various public service bodies involved in the enforcement of environmental legislation so that a higher and more consistent standard of enforcement is delivered throughout the country. I have asked my Department to examine the licensing and permitting legislation to ensure all necessary provisions, particularly relating to traceability, are in place to avoid situations that might be exploited by criminal elements.

Metal theft is a crime and is therefore a matter for An Garda Síochána in the first instance. A stakeholder forum on the matter has been set up by the Garda and is working to produce a metal theft crime prevention and reduction plan. My Department is one of the stakeholders participating in the work and will continue to play its part in supporting the work in this area, which is led by the Garda.

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