Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Independent)
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383. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on plans to put in place a regulator for the waste collection sector; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6446/14]

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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385. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a waste collection regulator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6477/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 385 together.

The Government’s waste policy, A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland, sets out a range of measures which will significantly revise the current regulatory regime to ensure, inter alia , that waste collected is managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy; that mandated service levels are delivered; and that customer charters are put in place by all waste collection providers. The work of developing the new regulatory structures to give effect to the measures set out in the waste policy document is under way and my Department has engaged with a range of key stakeholders in relation to the detailed design of the new system. I also published a consultation document on the regulation of household waste collection on 28 November 2013 to guide the development of the new regulatory regime to strengthen and improve the regulation of household waste collection. Details are available on my Department’s website: .

It is the intention that the improved regulatory regime will deliver both enhanced environmental performance and ensure a quality service for consumers. In addition to the above, the National Consumer Agency has also engaged with the waste industry in relation to consumer issues such as the terms and conditions contained in contracts and the refund of credit balances and cancellation fees. My focus is on full implementation of the Government’s waste policy and I have no plans for the establishment of a waste regulator.