Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 887: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the role for private incinerators in terms of Ireland's waste management policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26835/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The State has no direct role in determining the number, type or capacity of incinerators which may be developed. These are matters for the commercial sector or local authorities, who may act by way of public private partnership. In either case any such projects must secure planning permission and a waste licence through statutory processes which are independent of the Minister and the Government.

The Programme for Government signalled the development of waste and resource policy in the direction of sustainability — in particular, to move away from mass burn incineration towards alternative technologies. A major international review is examining, inter alia, the emergence of new technologies in waste management, particularly those for the mechanical and biological treatment of waste, which could reduce the need for incineration, and how they might be promoted. The Government is committed to ensuring that we rapidly move towards a world class waste management system.