Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Dea for tabling this motion, as it is important that we have this debate. I have concerns over the continued exportation of waste, but when it comes to providing alternative policies, we must be careful and prudent in terms of their impact on local communities. I thank the people of my local authority of Kerry County Council who provided a waste collection service for years. I also thank them for their management of transfer stations once our local authority got out of the service. I compliment the private operators. In County Kerry, we have companies like KWD Recycling, Higgins Waste & Recycling Services, Dillon Waste & Recycling and so on. In making the collection of waste and recycling of recyclables their business, they are creating employment and dealing with our waste in the best way they can, a way that is proper and diligent and meets all EPA guidelines. I thank them for their work.

The Minister of State's legs are on the ground where this matter is concerned. I thank and acknowledge the people who go out at 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. I often meet them when they are starting their day's work driving a lorry and collecting our waste around the country. I thank those in County Kerry and throughout the rest of the country. They are the people who collect the waste and go into housing estates. They do it at that hour of the morning in the interests of safety. They want to drive their lorries into areas and have the waste collected when there are no children around, no youngsters on bicycles, no one stepping out from behind a car and before anyone else is up. For that, we must give them our humble thanks. Only for them, the collection of waste would be much more hazardous.

I compliment my colleague, Deputy Michael Collins, on his remarks about the warmer homes scheme and cutting carbon emissions. I have people in County Kerry who want to avail of the warmer homes scheme, but they cannot do so because it is oversubscribed. Will the Government be serious about providing funding to allow people to make their homes warmer and cut back on the amount of fuel they need? All of the compliance suggestions being made cost money. People need assistance in the form of grant aid. If the Government has a greener homes scheme, it should make sure to fund it properly and give money to those who need it to make their homes more efficient.

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