Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which he will publish his new waste policy; if this policy will be free from incineration and thermal treatment projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11511/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government commits to the development of a coherent national waste policy, adhering to the waste hierarchy, which will aim to minimise waste disposal in landfill and maximise recovery. I am prioritising this commitment, as I am anxious to provide early regulatory certainty, in the form of both policy and legislation, to ensure that the necessary actions and investments are progressed to achieve those aims.

During the Dáil Second Stage debate on the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill on 14 April, I outlined the guiding principles which will inform the waste policy development process. These principles will serve to ensure that future waste policy will -

· be designed to minimise the volumes of waste generated and to extract the maximum value from those wastes which do arise;

· be founded on a firm, evidence-based understanding of the many scientific, economic and social issues which are inherent elements of the waste policy discourse; and

· be designed to facilitate necessary investment in infrastructure, within an appropriately regulated waste market framework.

I look forward to engaging with parliamentary colleagues and the range of interests in the waste sector in the development of this policy framework. It is my intention to complete policy development by the end of this year.