Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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233. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the facilities available to families in a situation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51902/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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An inter-departmental working group was established under A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland, which I published in July 2012, to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low income households. The Working Group, which comprises representatives of my Department and the Departments of Social Protection; Public Expenditure and Reform; Finance; and the Tánaiste's Office, submitted its second report to Government on 23 July, 2013. Government considered the report and the range of complex issues involved and has asked the group to prepare a further report for submission in 2014. 

I also published a consultation paper on the Regulation of Household Waste Collection on 28 November 2013, inviting submissions on issues related to household waste collection.  A copy of the consultation paper is available to download from and submissions are requested by 31 January 2014. I anticipate that this consultation exercise will serve as an important input to the third report of the inter-departmental working group to the Government.