James Bannon (Fine Gael)

The more modern landfill sites work very satisfactorily in most cases. I have inspected sites on the Continent and in America and their operators and the general public are more than satisfied with the measured recycling facilities built in, etc.

Some local authorities received grants at harvest time for recycling facilities but it was done on a piecemeal basis. I do not understand the reason every local authority was not facilitated with grants for that purpose. In Longford this issue came up yesterday during a discussion on the Protection of the Environment Bill and there was major disappointment on all sides that we did not receive grant assistance. Longford is a small county with a very low rate base.

The incineration facility visited by 15 councillors from my county was regarded as the prime example of such a facility in Germany.