Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 819: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the plans he has to put measures in place to assist the elderly with the cost of bin charges; if it is acceptable that those who are in employment can claim tax relief but those on old age pensions get no assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27978/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Waste management services have traditionally 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. In accordance with section 52 of the Protection of the Environment Act 2003, the determination of waste management charges, and any associated waiver scheme, is a matter for the relevant local authority, where it acts as the service provider. Similarly, where a private operator provides the collection service, it is a matter for that operator to determine charges. I do not consider it appropriate to propose a departure from the existing statutory provisions which recognise the local nature of waste management services.

However, in order to assist the elderly and other households with lower incomes, I have asked local authorities to engage with commercial waste collectors with a view to agreeing on a scheduling of payments (i.e. a phased pay-as-you-go system) rather than a periodic lump sum payment.