Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there is a national strategy on the establishment of new recycling facilities and the improvement of existing facilities in order that all persons are facilitated in recycling; if his Department will or does provide specific and ringfenced funds to local authorities for the establishment and running of recycling facilities and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7468/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Statutory responsibility for the making and implementation of regional waste management plans, including in respect of the provision of recycling infrastructure, rests with the local authority, or local authorities, concerned.

Since 2002 my Department has allocated almost €100 million in capital grants to assist local authorities in the provision of recycling and recovery services. The projects assisted include bring bank networks, civic amenity sites, materials recovery, composting and biological treatment facilities. This funding is provided from a number of sources including the Exchequer, the European Regional Development Fund and the Environment Fund, and is normally on the basis of my Department meeting 75% of the cost and the relevant local authority funding the balance.

I am conscious of the escalating costs to local authorities of operating the substantially increased network of recycling facilities and my Department has allocated some €29 million since 2003 to the authorities concerned to assist with the operating costs of these facilities. The costs incurred by local authorities are regularly reviewed to ensure that the available funding is distributed in an equitable manner.

An objective of the new National Development Plan is to continue to support local authority provision of infrastructure that will maximise the value recovered in waste recycling.