Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 407: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will provide the latest figures for the amount of municipal waste generated annually; the amount landfilled; the latest recycling rates; the amount of landfilled municipal waste that is biodegradable; if Ireland met its 2010 Landfill Directive; his views whether 2013 and 2016 targets can be met with existing waste policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3477/11]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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In 2008, the latest year for which figures are available, Ireland generated a total of 3,224,281 tonnes of municipal waste, with a total of 1,938,712 tonnes landfilled. The overall recovery rate was 37.5%.

The latest figures also show that Ireland landfilled 1,196,044 tonnes of biodegradable waste in 2008, which leaves a gap of some 280,000 tonnes to be achieved to comply with the 2010 target set out in the Landfill Directive.

The National Waste Report for 2009, showing the figures for that year, is, I understand, currently being finalised by the EPA, and is expected to be published shortly.

The Government has accorded priority attention to the work associated with positioning Ireland to achieve compliance with the Landfill Directive's targets for the diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill. Taking account of policy initiatives including source segregated collection of household organic waste in urban areas, the new regulations introduced requiring the separate collection of food waste from commercial premises and increases already in place and planned for the Landfill Levy, as well as revised projections for waste generation, I am confident that it will be possible to demonstrate compliance with the Directive's targets for 2010, 2013 and 2016.