Dan Boyle (Green Party)

The statements on a national waste strategy are proceeding through the House and we will return to them next week. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will be in the House to take this debate. The opportunity of the Minister's presence should be used to make a definitive statement on waste management policy.

Last evening, an application was made to An Bord Pleanála through the strategic infrastructure plan by Indaver to place a second incinerator in Ringaskiddy, County Cork. In doing so, the company has shown the utmost contempt for the local community. Many statements were made since the formation of this Government and within the programme for Government itself. We have ongoing processes for reviews of waste management practices and these will report later this year. Pending legislation will introduce an incineration levy which will make incineration less economically viable.

For companies to use existing legislation in such an underhand way undermines the efforts to put in place a sensible and sane waste management policy. I look forward to this opportunity and to the encouragement of the Leader of the House for the making of such a definitive policy statement when we resume this debate next Wednesday.