Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress that has been made to date on plans to restructure the waste market here; the impact that these plans will have on the cost to consumers; if it is expected that the number of waste operators here will reduce as a result of these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31805/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce competitive tendering for household waste collection, under which service providers would 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 of market structuring is known as franchise bidding. A public consultation on the issues involved, designed to inform the policy development process, concluded in September 2011. All of the responses received, including those from a range of companies within the waste industry and from consumers of waste services, are being examined and I intend to bring policy proposals to Government before the end of the year.

The number of household waste collection service providers in the market at any point in time is a function of a range of factors. The number of service providers has not been static in recent years - local authorities have exited the market and some private sector companies have acquired competitors – and further change can be expected, whether or not the system of regulation of the market is changed. In deciding on the future arrangements to govern household waste collection services, a key objective will be to ensure that a competitive environment is fostered so as to support the achievement of economically, and environmentally, efficient outcomes.