Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether the distributors of free newspapers should be compelled to make arrangements for recollection and recycling of the paper. [36676/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Significant progress has been made in recent years in providing systems and facilities for the collection and recycling of waste. Households served with segregated collection of dry recyclables can recycle their old newspapers by depositing them in their recyclables wheelie bin. This service is being progressively rolled out, with over 560,000 households nationally — approximately 42% of all households in the State — already in receipt of such service.

EU Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste requires member states to achieve specified targets for the reduction of biodegradable waste consigned to landfill. A draft national biodegradable waste strategy setting out a range of integrated measures aimed at providing an effective basis for the achievement of the directive targets was published last year. The final strategy, which I hope to publish shortly, will include ambitious targets for the recycling of biodegradable waste, including newsprint. Further progress will be required in expanding the recycling infrastructure to meet these targets.

Discussions are ongoing between my Department and the newsprint industry with a view to developing a producer responsibility initiative for the recovery and recycling of newspapers and magazines. I am concerned that such an initiative should deal fully with all newspapers and magazines, irrespective of the manner in which they are marketed. I am also concerned that the proliferation of hand-outs such as freesheets and promotional leaflets should have regard to the implications for waste prevention and litter pollution.

The general point being made by Deputies Cuffe and Gogarty is that there has been a horrific proliferation of litter in and around the Luas and DART, and I agree with that. What has occurred recently is irresponsible, and I know the conventional newspaper industry shares my views on this. There is concern about what is happening. There were complaints from staff at Westland Row that the new free-sheets were blocking up litter bins and were deposited all over the road. Luas and Dublin Bus also made complaints in this regard. Producer responsibility is necessary from those distributing the free-sheets.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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I am delighted that we are ad idem on the matter. I welcome the new entrants to the marketplace. We would always welcome new media such as Herald AM and Metro. However, the downside to their entry to the market is the flurry of paper that is, as the Minister stated, making DART carriages look like Wall Street after a ticker tape parade.

I do not want to single out one producer of waste over another. The principle is that if one supplies a product that must eventually be disposed of, one should pay some proportion of its disposal cost. I am delighted the Minister is in discussion with the industry. When will he regulate in this area and what kind of regulation does he envisage?

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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We are in discussions. I strongly believe that a partnership approach is the best way of dealing with this matter. Like the Deputy, I welcome the new entrants to the market and I very much welcome outlets for young journalists to make a mark.

I suggest that the producers of these free-sheets should identify the major dirt-spots and clean them up. There have been other producer initiatives, for example, in the fast food industry, where outlets clean a specific area. This could happen in the interim in this case. I will continue to work with the industry because there are a variety of ways to address the problem which is caused by a very unconventional form of newspaper litter. However, additional thought will be needed before we solve the problem. I share the Deputy's concerns.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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That is a start. I thank the Minister.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I was surprised that this question was not answered by the Minister of State with responsibility for environmental protection, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I was interested to note his comments at the weekend opposing incineration. As this question relates to waste matters and as the Minister of State has not had an opportunity to contribute during Priority Questions today, will the Minister, Deputy Roche, inform the House whether the statement made by the Minister of State is now Government policy on incineration or does it only apply to Ringaskiddy?

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To clarify, I did not make the statement.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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First and foremost, Deputy Gilmore should read the very carefully worded statement made by the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Did the Minister write it for him?

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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He was talking out of both sides of his mouth.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There was one message in Ringaskiddy and another in Ringsend.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy raises a question which has nothing to do with the original question. We will take no finger wagging or hypocrisy on this matter from the Deputy. He should look at the vacillations in his own statements.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Have I hit a sore spot?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Obviously.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It was tragic to see my good friend and fellow Wexford man, Deputy Howlin, having constructed a very good piece of progress on waste in this country, trying to wriggle out of it.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I did not wriggle out of anything.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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We will not solve the problem of waste incineration by hypocritical posturing.

Deputies:

Except in Wicklow.