Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 345: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he has taken on foot of the White Young Green report into Haulbowline Island; if he has explored the requirement for a retaining barrier around the east tip; if consultations with other interested Departments and the local community have commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18455/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I will shortly be advising Government on matters arising from the extensive site investigation and the interim works carried out since 2003 at Haulbowline. The findings of the White Young Green (WYG) reports have informed my proposals in respect of the future management of the former ISPAT site and these proposals are at present the subject of consultation with relevant Government Departments, including the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment which has a current Government mandate to look at future re-development options for the site.

The issue of a retaining sea wall or similar such barrier remains a key issue to be addressed in this context. Consideration of a suitable mechanism to be put in place for ongoing dialogue with local communities to ensure that their requirements can be considered by the Government is also being pursued.

A small number of works have recently taken place on site. These mainly relate to normal care and maintenance including the demolition of some old huts near the main entrance to the site, the cleaning of a castor pit which was being used to store hazardous liquid waste and the disposal of small quantities of waste materials from the main industrial part of the site. Dust deposition and PM10 monitoring, which is carried out at two locations in the vicinity of the site and at a location in Cobh, is still ongoing.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his policy with regard to waste incineration and to the importations of waste into the State for incineration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18456/09]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will review or change policy with regard to waste incineration and with regard to the importation of waste into the State for incineration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18457/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 347 together.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to undertake a review of waste management policy. Consultants have been engaged to undertake a study to underpin this policy review. The study will address how better to implement waste prevention and minimisation in the particular context of the emergence of new technologies for waste management, particularly those for the mechanical and biological treatment of waste which can reduce the need for both incineration and landfill. The review may well indicate a continuing role for incineration in our future waste management strategy but I do not envisage it being on anything like the scale that was previously envisaged. I anticipate that the study will be completed by mid-2009 and published shortly thereafter. In the context of its recommendations I will bring any necessary policy and legislative proposals to Government.

Any proposed imports of waste into the State for incineration are regulated under the EU Waste Shipments Regulation which has direct applicability in the member states.