Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

It is a matter for Dublin City Council to decide the collection arrangements for households. It is working on the basis of existing policy, but it must also be mindful of the draft document issued for consultation. What we are trying to do is minimise the volumes of waste generated in the first instance, as we wish to divert waste away from landfill. We also wish to maximise the value from waste because it is no longer just a product for disposal; it is a resource in which so many people are interested in developing technologies to generate businesses from waste disposal. The aim is also to achieve a positive environmental outcome.

I take on board the concerns of people living in the Dublin area in which there is uncertainty. I have gone through the consultation process and I am considering the submissions made. I will not delay in removing the uncertainty between now and the end of the year.

In response to Deputy Niall Collins, I am also conscious of the fact that people have invested a significant amount of money in infrastructure in recent times, not just confined to the Limerick area but throughout the country, and that this must be taken into account before a final decision is made.

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