Liam Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 279: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make funding available to Kilkenny County Council under the farm plastic recycling scheme where statistics show the need for this scheme to be rolled out to Kilkenny at the earliest possible date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37218/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

To address the issue of accumulated backlogs of farm plastic, designated facilities are being provided on a temporary, once-off basis by local authorities where farmers may deposit stockpiled farm film plastic and silage wrap. This arrangement operated on a pilot basis in the first instance in counties Galway, Clare, Mayo, Offaly and Waterford during June and July of this year. This service is free to the farmer and funding to assist the local authorities is being made available from my Department through the Environment Fund.

The collections were well supported by farmers in the counties participating in the pilot phase leading to large quantities of plastic being deposited at designated sites. A significant finding from the pilot scheme is that it is not possible to operate collections in a large number of counties at the same time due to capacity constraints on the part of recovery operators. Accordingly, it is necessary to roll out the scheme to other areas on a staggered basis. Arising from a comprehensive examination of the information available, I have recently announced that collections of waste silage / bale wrap will now be put in place by Leitrim, Roscommon, Carlow, Longford, North Tipperary and Wicklow County Councils. Announcements regarding further extensions of collections to other areas, including Kilkenny, will follow completion of collections in those counties taking part in the second phase of the scheme and a review of this second phase of the scheme.