Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 313: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will support a proposal (details supplied). [16338/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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While economic instruments such as that proposed in the Question can contribute to the achievement of environmental objectives the key to success in tackling the issue in question is to foster a public attitude that looks upon the behaviour concerned as unacceptable. Awareness raising, education and enforcement are critical in this regard and my Department provides support to a number of successful partnership initiatives, provides local authorities with grants for awareness schemes involving local communities, and also contributes significantly to the cost of employing enforcement officers. In addition to these initiatives, over the past 8 years my Department has been assisting local authorities by meeting up to 75% of the capital cost of waste recycling infrastructure to provide a convenient means to dispose of items responsibly.

In November 2009 I published the consultants' report in the International Review of Waste Management. The consultants considered, inter alia, the possibility of introducing deposit-refund schemes and concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to support a recommendation to introduce such schemes, but further study was merited to assess whether the benefits of such schemes outweighed the costs. The consultants suggested that the issue should be considered further, with the benefit of further study, should other recommendations relating to targets for packaging recycling not be met.

In the coming weeks, I will be publishing a consultation document to allow all parties to contribute to the debate on how best to develop a sustainable, resource-based waste management policy. As part of this process the issue of enhanced producer responsibility, and the potential for increased use of economic instruments on certain materials such as that specified in the Question, will be examined.