Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

Waste management presents one of the greatest environmental challenges to this country. I wish the Minister well because he certainly faces a very tough challenge.

Fast-track planning procedures need to be put in place quickly because we have a waste management crisis. As a result of the Celtic tiger and other opportunities, waste generation increased by 89% between 1995 and 1998. The recent discovery of illegal dumping in Wicklow and Fingal – I am sure it is happening in many other areas – indicates a need to minimise our waste and a need for recycling, which must be regulated.