Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has instructed local authorities to revisit their local waste strategies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8137/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I will sort out the matter on the question referred to by Deputy Hogan.

The programme for Government includes a commitment to a review of waste management planning. The procurement process for such a review is under way. While respecting the statutory position of local authorities under the Waste Management Acts to make and review waste management plans, the review will inform the implementation of other commitments on waste management in the programme, particularly on how best to promote alternative technologies such as mechanical and biological treatment, MBT.

The detailed implementation of waste policy will remain a matter for local authorities, consistent with their waste management plans, and private sector initiatives, regulated by the independent statutory waste licensing and physical planning processes.

I have not instructed the local authorities to revisit their local waste management strategies in the context of their waste management plans as it would be premature to issue such an instruction pending the conclusion of the review.

The review will chart a new way forward. I intend that it be completed and acted upon in months, not years, because time is not on our side. We need to accelerate dramatically the move away from landfill, to examine all technologies that can contribute to this and regulate the sector in a manner which supports optimal environmental performance at minimum cost.

The review will not just be about technology. Its terms of reference are deliberately broad so as to promote a fundamental review of the legal, institutional and financial approach taken to waste management.

If the review were to indicate the need for significant legislative changes, I would bring the necessary proposals to the Government. Inaction is not an option and the approach reflected in the current crop of waste management plans, while facilitating some progress, is simply not going far enough fast enough.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I am interested that the Minister indicated his review is a new way forward. Since Deputy Gormley became Minister, there have been many new ways forward. Indaver Ireland's incinerator capacity for its proposed County Meath plant was 150,000 tonnes. It was recently given permission to increase this capacity to 250,000 tonnes. The proposed Poolbeg incinerator will have a capacity of 600,000 tonnes. An American firm has lodged a planning application for an incinerator in south Dublin with a 365,000 tonnes capacity. The system for thermal treatment of waste has already reached over-capacity.

Will the Minister request local authorities under the relevant section of the Waste Management Acts to review their waste management strategies? We do not need eight incinerators at regional level, a view the Minister shares. Whether we like it, decisions will be made on the capacity for thermal treatment or incineration. Why is the Minister talking about a new way forward considering the figures available to us?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I have given the preliminary figures on this to the Deputy and have made them known outside the House. These preliminary figures are based on waste of 3.2 million tonnes arising nationally. This can be reduced by 1.7 million tonnes through a recycling rate of 50%. I am confident we can reach such a recycling rate, if not beyond that, particularly in Dublin. Some 800,000 tonnes of this can be landfilled without exceeding our landfill directive targets. I believe the remainder can be further reduced by MBT. By 2016, it could stand at 400,000 tonnes.

I am confident these figures stand up. However, when making any judgments we must get it scientifically and economically right. That is why this review is of such importance.

I agree many of these planning applications have gone in but many pre-date my entry into Government. The Fine Gael Party, perhaps — I say "perhaps" because it is difficult to decide when reading its manifesto — has changed its position on incineration. Its track record——

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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We know the Minister has changed his position.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Fine Gael sure has changed its position. On reading its manifesto——

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I would like to allow a brief supplementary question.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I have seen how Fine Gael voted in the past on the 1996 Act. It voted for the 1998 waste plan for Dublin. The Dublin assistant city manager recently stated that this gave him the legal imprimatur to go ahead with a 600,000 tonnes incinerator in Dublin city. Fine Gael needs to get its own line straightened on this.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Minister has changed his mind on many matters in the past eight months, one of which is incineration. He has powers to review waste management. He relied on public statements by himself rather than Government policy to instruct An Bord Pleanála and others to make decisions. That is not the way to do business in government, as the Minister now knows. He has been hoodwinked on various matters, which is not surprising.

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, may I ask a final and brief supplementary?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I wish the Deputy would do so.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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What is the position regarding the amount of tonnage that will be required for MBT? Can we have certainty on the figures? When will the review be published? Will it be in July or will it be another bank holiday weekend job? Will we have to wait until all these planning applications in the system are approved and the Minister can wring his hands again before we know the answer?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I made my views known. If the Deputy looks at the planning Acts, they state the Government's policy. I stated my policy clearly.

I will meet the Environmental Protection Agency next Monday to discuss MBT. There are several complex issues surrounding MBT such as the moisture content of actual residual product and at what stage it can be regarded as landfill material or inert. I am confident we can complete the review in a matter of months, not years. I hope interim reports will emerge from the review so we can act as quickly as possible but with regard for scientific evidence and economic realities.