Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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149. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 474 of 19 November 2013, if he is concerned about reported increases in the prices of waste collection services offered by private waste collectors in the Dublin area; if he will provide details on the number and nature of enforcement proceedings that have been taken against waste collectors which have failed to comply with the conditions attached to their waste permits in the years 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013. [51062/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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As set out in the Government ’s policy on waste, A Resource Opportunity, an effective system of household waste collection is critical to the economy and the well-being of society. I will shortly be publishing a consultation document on the regulation of household waste collection to guide the development of a new regulatory regime to strengthen and improve the regulation of household waste collection. Our approach to pricing structures will be a significant focus in the consultation paper. I want to ensure that waste management companies operate pricing structures that incentivise environmentally sustainable behaviour in terms of waste reduction and segregation. Ultimately, however, charges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation.

With regard to the number and nature of enforcement proceedings taken against waste collectors, my Department does not collect the information sought. A wide range of data on the Office of Environmental Enforcement’s audits and other enforcement activities in relation to such facilities are publicly available on the EPA’s website, at