Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 2: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps being taken to develop indigenous facilities, markets and outlets to recycle waste, as recommended in the Environmental Protection Agency report, State of the Environment, and in view of the fact that most recyclable waste here is exported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43226/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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There were some 1.2 million tonnes of waste recycled in 2006, of which approximately 75% was exported. Approximately 36% of municipal waste is now recycled as compared to the national target of 35% recycling by 2013.

The Government's policy statement, Preventing and Recycling Waste — Delivering Change, identified a lack of sustainable and economically attractive markets and outlets for recyclable materials as one of the main barriers to an improved and sustainable national recycling performance. The significant cost and effort associated with the segregation, collection, sorting, pre-treatment and reprocessing of recyclable materials demands that markets be developed to realise the full resource value of all recyclable materials that are reclaimed. To address these issues I am providing funding of €13 million to implement the recommendations set out in the market development programme for waste resources 2007.

The market development programme will promote sustainable demand for recovered materials and support the achievement of economies of scale in the production of products made from recycled materials. It will also identify new applications and markets for recyclable material and secondary recycled products.

We must accept that our relative size will place some limits on the scope for a comprehensive recycling infrastructure. However, I believe the investment now being made in this programme will enable us to be somewhat more self-sufficient and will give us some degree of insulation from the types of difficulties now being experienced in the international markets for recyclates.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I tabled this question because the recent EPA report recommended steps to be taken to develop indigenous facilities, markets and outlets to recycle waste.

The Minister referred to the fact that 75% of recyclable waste is exported. Within that figure of 75%, the EPA reports that 99.3% of paper and cardboard, 99.8% of ferrous metal and 87.4% of glass materials are exported. A total of 0.4% of glass is sent abroad for recycling. As the Minister said, environmental issues are raised because material is being shipped and we do not know what happens to it. Some of it is burned. One of his own colleagues, the former MEP for Leinster——

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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A question, please, Deputy.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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——suggested in an article that much of it is burned abroad and that there are not good environmental practices in some of the countries to which we export it. As the Minister said, there could be economic benefits if we develop our own industry.

The Minister suggested steps to be taken for developing markets but he did not actually say that he would create facilities here where waste could be recycled. The North of Ireland is much smaller but there is a glass recycling company to which we export most of our glass. There needs to be a State industry for the recycling of waste and I ask for the Minister's opinion.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Given the economies of scale, it makes sense to co-operate with our colleagues in Northern Ireland and to have a glass recycling facility on any part of the island. The Deputy is correct that we also need to develop a facility for paper and cardboard and a proposal has been made. However, we must reach an agreement with our colleagues in Northern Ireland because this was to be done on an all-island basis.

The Deputy referred to the programme overview. The €13 million which I propose to spend is for a multi-annual programme and it will be drawn down by RPS Group on behalf of the market development group. It includes research and development, commercial trials, development of technical standards and the production of various marketing and educational awareness materials. The main focus of the programme will be an organics programme. We have rolled out the brown bins and I have sent a circular to all the local authorities. Organic waste recycling is working very well and it is probably the most important aspect because in terms of complying with our landfill directive commitments, we must remove the biological component from landfill.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I will allow a brief supplementary question from Deputy Tuffy. I ask the Minister to hold the balance of his reply for that.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The €13 million the Minister plans to spend on researching the development of markets is a lot of money. I have seen reports which are just put on the shelf. If he is spending €13 million, he needs to come up with the goods. It should result in the creation of jobs and businesses. This is an opportunity to develop the environmental goods and services sector. I ask the Minister for a commitment that it will not just be some theoretical paper but will result in facilities being developed out of the expenditure of €13 million so that there will be jobs and recycling facilities at the end.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I agree with the Deputy. I liaise closely with those in the recycling industry. I will be holding another meeting shortly. I have received the report from the action group. The composting industry can employ many people and I regard it as a win-win situation. The statutory instrument on composting, which I will publish shortly, will ensure that the food waste from our restaurants and hotels is not put into landfill but rather is directed towards composting. This is beneficial from everyone's point of view, in terms of the environment and sustainable waste management.