John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I will be finished by then. I welcome this timely debate on waste management during which there have been a number of good contributions. I would like to take up some issues mentioned by speakers on the Government side. The principle which appears to guide waste management strategy throughout the country is that the polluter pays. This is laudable and people on all sides should have no problem with the idea that polluters should pay for the waste they produce. I have grave concerns about the protest which took place in Dublin in the past few months concerning refuse collection. It is very necessary that the polluter pays. However, some of the responsibility must also rest with those who produce the packaging. I do not believe they take enough responsibility at present. To put virtually all of the responsibility on the consumer is wrong.

We are all familiar with the situation where one can enter a supermarket or shop and buy a product wrapped in three or four different wrappings and which comes in a bag. Such products used to come in a temporary plastic bag, but now come in a more permanent form of plastic container. There are problems with businesses which produce a lot of waste, an issue which does not seem to get enough coverage.

Senator Ormonde spoke earlier about the difficulties that different local authorities face regarding differing charges. It is especially evident in the different local authority areas in Dublin where different local authorities in close proximity charge vastly different amounts of money.

In south Kilkenny, where I come from, we charge almost €450 per year for a wheelie bin to dispose of waste. It is a very large sum and is especially high in the context of the bin collection protests in Dublin in the past few months which have concerned considerably smaller amounts of money. It is very unfair that for years in rural areas we have had to pay for waste collection, while in Dublin people have not had to pay. Now we have a situation where a great deal, if not all, of the waste produced in Dublin city and county is accommodated outside the bounds of County Dublin. It is completely ridiculous to expect rural people to take the waste and also to pay to have waste collected on their own doorsteps while people in Dublin expect not to pay refuse collection charges. It is a complete contradiction in terms.

I agree with Senator Ormonde that there are difficulties for local authorities. I live near Waterford city which has a considerably lower level of charge for refuse collection, presenting difficulties for residents who live on the borders of such counties. All local authorities should have a general ballpark figure for refuse collection.