Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when the promised new waste strategy and policy will be published in view of a circular (details supplied) from his Department on 29 May 2009; his plans to introduce a moratorium on further incinerator applications pending clarification of the new national waste strategy and policy, and in doing so avoid potential conflict in emerging waste solutions, and the stress and financial burden to the communities who will have to fight the case against these proposals in their neighbourhoods in the intervening period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39703/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the stance against incineration outlined in his draft P60 proposal submitted for public consultation in summer 2009 and his proposal on treatment of commercial organic waste presented for public consultations, the new waste strategy will address the waste problem at source; his proposals for waste minimisation, the implementation of a national network of recycling and composting facilities to address sustainable waste management and create employment opportunities, the co-ordination of waste plans at a national level to leverage economies of scale in the identification and implementation of green and sustainable solutions; if same are addressed in the new waste strategy; his plans to conduct public consultation on same and when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39704/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together.

The Programme for Government contained a commitment to carry out an international review of waste management plans, practices and procedures and act on its conclusions. This review is currently underway and a significant milestone was reached recently when consultants delivered a major international report on waste management policy. I am currently examining this report and its recommendations, which will be central to informing what further measures may be necessary to underpin sustainable waste management services. I will shortly publish the report to facilitate a full interaction with stakeholders in the context of a set of recommendations which address issues surrounding the management of waste at each level of the waste hierarchy, together with associated institutional and regulatory issues. I will also be bringing necessary legislative and policy proposals to Government.

I also recently arranged for environmental consultants to prepare an Environmental Report, according to Strategic Environmental Assessment requirements, to inform the policy making process for waste management in respect of a proposed policy direction under section 60 of the Waste Management Act which would be intended to achieve a number of objectives.

One such objective is to seek to ensure that incineration capacity does not reach a level such that waste is drawn to incineration which could have been dealt with by prevention, reuse, recycling, composting/anaerobic digestion of source segregated biowaste, MBT or other methods which are higher up the waste hierarchy.

In advance of finalising the Strategic Environmental Assessment comments on the environmental report were invited from relevant stakeholders, and any other interested parties, which attracted a wide range of submissions, a number of which were very detailed and technical. My Department is currently considering the submissions and in accordance with Article 18 of the SEA Regulations the next stage in the SEA process will be the preparation of an SEA statement.