Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of landfills currently in operation here; if it is his intention to continue with the use of landfills in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8405/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Landfills within individual local authority areas are developed and operated either by local authorities or private sector service providers. All are required to have a waste licence issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is statutorily independent of the Minister in discharging this function. My Department has no function in the provision or management of landfills. Data in respect of waste management, including in respect of the volume of waste sent to landfill, are published annually by the Agency in the National Waste Report.

Waste management policy is centred on the Government's continued support for the internationally recognised waste hierarchy which places major emphasis on the prevention, reuse and recycling of waste while minimising reliance on landfill and other disposal options. This commitment to the waste hierarchy has added significance in the context of the requirements of the EU Landfill Directive to divert waste from landfill. Meeting this obligation will entail doubling the existing level of diversion from landfill by 2010 and further increases in diversion in subsequent years. It is likely that there will be a continuing need for landfill capacity to deal with residual waste that cannot be recycled or reused. The determination of the capacity required is a matter for each of the waste management planning regions.