Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1075: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he personally, or any of his officials, have seen and read the contract for the waste-to-energy incinerator on the Poolbeg Peninsula in Dublin 4 as signed between Dublin City Council and a company (details supplied); if it is possible to alter the terms of the contract which oblige Dublin City Council to provide 600,000 tonnes of waste each year to run the incinerator; if he will alter the terms of the incinerator contract to ensure Dublin City Council will provide only 200,000 tonnes of waste each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1347/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The facility in question is provided for in the Dublin regional waste management plan for which the four Dublin local authorities have statutory responsibility under the Waste Management Acts. Section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act, 1996 precludes the Minister from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance, in particular circumstances, by a local authority of a function conferred on it under the Act. Accordingly it is not possible for me or my Department to vary the contractual arrangements entered into by Dublin City Council or to comment on its specific terms. Neither I nor my Department have had sight of the contract.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1076: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a company (details supplied) encourages its customers to use the green bin to dispose of glass, that the placing of glass in the green bins without separating it by colour renders it unrecyclable and that the company by offering this service to its customers removes itself from obligations to pay towards the cost of bring centres and other cleansing department services like road sweeping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1402/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The issuing of a permit to a private sector waste collector is the statutory responsibility of the relevant local authority who may attach various conditions to the waste collection permit including in respect of the types of waste permitted to be collected. Following the recent downturn in the market for recyclates, markets have begun to reopen for high quality material, but commingled material, as described in the question, is regarded as low grade and will not find a market. It would therefore appear to be in the interest of the waste collector concerned to change his collection practices.