Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I acknowledge the substantial efforts being made but those are not enough. We all know we have a serious crisis and it is not just a matter of waste; it affects the economy also. We must have proper standards of waste management if we are to drive our economy forward. One potential major investor came to Ireland and asked about the national waste management strategy. We showed the investor our plans but when we were asked about the facilities we could only say we were getting there. The investor did not want to know and went somewhere else.

I have told the regions that if we are serious about the national spatial strategy, regional development and correcting regional imbalances in the west, south-west and south-east, then one of the obvious ways to get a serious edge is to put proper waste management plans in place. We then have a first-class selling point.

That covers the broad thrust of the debate. The plans have been passed and I am protecting them. I do not want another ten years of the same debate. That is out of the equation.

Regarding charges, I was a councillor myself and charges are discussed once a year in the estimates process. That is where councillors have the ultimate sanction and that has not changed. Councillors can still decide at the estimates meeting not to support the overall estimate for whatever reasons they have. The ultimate sanction of local authorities, and specifically the reserved function of councillors in dealing with the estimates, does not change.