Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ensure that changes to the waste management regulations here do not result in increased costs to householders. [24275/11]

Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a national bin waver system to help families struggling under financial pressure in view of the fact that many local authorities have privatised refuse collection services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24261/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 102 together.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce competitive tendering for household waste collection, under which service providers will bid to provide waste collection services in a given area, for a given period of time and to a guaranteed level of service. This system is known as franchise bidding.

The franchise bidding system of regulation is widely used elsewhere in Europe and other parts of the developed world because it is associated with lower costs for the householder and improved environmental outcomes. Given that the principal costs of collecting household waste relate to investment in fleet and equipment, fuel and labour costs, it is clear that a system which involves multiple trucks from different companies all servicing different houses on the same streets is neither economically nor environmentally efficient. As the costs arising from economic inefficiency are ultimately borne by the householder, in the form of higher waste collection charges, it is important that we address this issue as a matter of priority.

A public consultation on the issues involved, designed to inform the policy development process, has recently concluded. The responses received are currently being examined and I intend to bring policy proposals to Government before the end of the year. The issues of pricing and waivers for low income households will be among the issues for consideration in this context.