Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate, but I regret that the Minister is not present. He stated earlier: "In a democratic society legislation is the foundation for action in the interests of the common good." In the past, his Department produced documents entitled, Better Local Government and Changing our Ways. The public has responded to a great extent to requests for change in the way in which waste is disposed of, but I heard the Minister say earlier that it is a matter of getting tough and staying tough. Here we have a Minister using language that does nothing to encourage the population. He has made a clear statement that he is not in favour of turning, regardless of the protests and concerns.

I welcome Senator Mansergh's identification of his serious concern – which is shared by many Members and the public at large – regarding incineration. The Minister is saying that, come hell or high water, we are going to have incineration because that is the best way forward. He is getting tough. That is the language he used. It is a pity that a Minister whose Department asked the public to change its ways has used such language.

Much of what the Minister said previously seems to dictate that this is the way it is going to be and that we must do as he says. Once again he has seriously encroached upon, and rapped the knuckles of, every public representative. However, the Minister, Deputy Cullen, fails to recognise that, in most instances, because of the make-up of many local authorities, it is his party's councillors who have rebelled and said "No" to his desires and those of the Department of the Environment with regard to waste management.

There is a waste management plan for every county. When those plans were democratically voted on, they were, by and large, rejected. The Minister said that since councillors have failed to take action he will give the power to somebody else. This has happened before and it is regrettable that it is happening again. It is clear from the content of the Bill that the Minister is saying that he will empower somebody who will do the job his way. I recognise the aspirational content of the Bill, but, in that context, we must consider the record of the Department of the Environment and Local Government and local authorities which were responsible for the greatest amount of pollution in the past.