Written answers

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Waste Management

11:00 pm

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 543: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the inequitable situation pertaining where old age pensioners and persons in receipt of social welfare payments can avail of waivers in respect of refuse collection in local authority areas where the waste is collected by the local authority while the same category of persons in local authority areas that have privatised the waste collection cannot avail of a waiver; his plans to bring equity into the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11935/06]

Photo of Dick RocheDick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Traditionally, waste management services have been provided at a local level with individual arrangements being locally determined and tailored to local circumstances. The present legal framework as determined by the Oireachtas reflects this situation. In accordance with section 52 of the Protection of the Environment Act 2003, the determination of waste management charges and the provision of waivers are both matters for the relevant local authority where it acts as a service provider. Similarly, where a private operator provides the collection service, it is a matter for that operator to determine charges. My Department has no function in either the setting of charges or the provision of waivers.

Local authorities and central Government are working together to promote the polluter pays principle, as this is a core element of national and EU environmental policy, including in the area of waste management. In accordance with this policy, all of society must be encouraged to reduce, reuse and recycle waste to the maximum extent possible. In order to encourage households to minimise their waste, all local authorities and private waste operators were asked to begin a switch to use-based charging arrangements from the start of 2005. Use-based systems encourage customers to better control the amount of their charges by availing of an increased number of recycling options. These new pay-by-use charging systems have the potential to significantly minimise the burden of waste charges.

My Department also makes a significant level of funding available to local authorities to increase the range of waste recycling infrastructure available to householders. In addition, and in order to assist old age pensioners and other households with lower incomes, I have asked local authorities to engage with commercial waste collectors with a view to agreeing on a more frequent scheduling of payments rather than a periodic lump sum payment.

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