Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 587: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to make changes in the regulation of waste charges such as those operating in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown whereby the annual waste charges paid by householders availing of the council's own service is in effect subsidising the provision of public recycling facilities that are available for use by those who use a private waste company for the collection of their domestic waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14005/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Rapid growth and consolidation of the waste industry in recent years has enabled the private sector to expand its services in the domestic waste collection market. It is generally acknowledged that the involvement of the private sector in providing key waste infrastructure and services has benefited the environment and increased efficiency in the waste sector as a whole by providing a range of alternatives. However, we also face challenges in balancing the right of the private sector to compete freely in a competitive market with the need to provide the most efficient and effective service for consumers.

In August last year, my Department published a consultation paper on options for future regulation of the waste sector. Submissions were invited on whether there is a need for a regulator for the sector, on what model of regulator might be most appropriate and on what powers any such regulator should be given. Among the possible powers discussed in the paper is the power to impose a public service obligation. This is a feature of regulation in some other sectors, and effectively requires contractors to operate cross-subsidisation so that services can be provided where they would not otherwise be economically feasible. Over fifty, many very detailed, submissions were received addressing the range of complex issues which surround the regulation of the sector. Following consideration of these submissions I intend to finalise further policy proposals.