Michael Brennan (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister to the House and wish him well in seeking to fulfil his responsibility to find solutions to waste management issues. The Government has achieved a great deal since the 1998 policy statement, Waste Management: Changing Our Ways, all of it with all-party support and co-operation. Elected members reached consensus on every aspect of the waste management plans adopted by local authorities and the eight regional authorities. It is now the responsibility of the Minister to implement the wishes of the people.

Many of the objectives of the regional plans have been achieved and they are being reviewed by the relevant bodies. However, we do not have all the solutions. Thermal treatment, for example, has been mentioned in every regional plan, although the viability of having a thermal treatment plant in each region is open to question. Public authorities have commissioned consultants to produce reports at considerable cost. Having cost an arm and a leg the final reports have been the same. The Minister, in his wisdom, will have to review the current plans to determine the best national plan which will be acceptable to the public. I wish him well in his efforts, for which he has the full support of the Government parties.