Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 363: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the privatisation of the waste collection service operated by Cork County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34542/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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A public consultation on a Draft Statement of Waste Policy based on the recommendations and analysis of the International Review of Waste Management Policy closed on Friday, 1 October 2010. Among the key objectives of the proposed policy are to ensure that the environment is protected and enhanced and the costs of improved waste services are driven down for consumers and businesses, while at the same time improving the quality of those services.

I understand that the decision by Cork County Council to privatise the service, following a competitive tendering process, was reached as result of a number of factors. These included falling customer numbers, rising costs associated with the pre-treatment of waste, and the introduction of a VAT charge of 13.5% on waste management services provided by local authorities. Cork County Council thus decided the direct provision of its waste collection was financially unsustainable.

I welcome, as part of the agreement, that Cork County Council has secured a continuation of the waiver scheme for a further twelve months and that the private operator will be implementing an immediate reduction of 10% in waste charges to all non-waiver customers. I also welcome the fact that Cork County Council will now deploy the relevant staff and resources previously employed in the waste collection service in other key service areas throughout the County. One such example is the decision to open civic amenity sites later this month at Kanturk and Mallow employing some of the proceeds of the sale of the waste collection service to fund the day to day running costs of these facilities.