Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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1022. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government given the current state of negotiations with the tyre industry where two representative bodies have now walked away from consultations regarding the introduction of a tyre recovery scheme and where there is widespread dispute of data presented by his Department on this matter, if he will seek the appointment of an independent facilitator to get these negotiations back on track; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38440/15]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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1082. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 672 of 20 October 2015, if he will consider the appointment of an independent facilitator to broker a deal on the critical issues involved, given the current state of the negotiations and the lack of participation by the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37973/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1022 and 1082 together.

I am committed to developing a sustainable and environmentally focussed system for the management of waste tyres in Ireland. Like existing systems for waste tyres elsewhere in the EU and for all other waste streams in Ireland, this system must respect the producer responsibility approach and be based on the polluter pays principle. These are long-standing environmental principles which are reflected in both European and domestic legislation.

While I am confident the system I am working to develop will enjoy the full support of all members of the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association, who make up approximately 50% of the Irish tyre market, unfortunately certain elements within the tyres industry do not accept these basic environmental principles. I am not prepared to negotiate on these principles, upon which our environmental protection is built, but I welcome industry involvement and participation in the detailed design and implementation of a regulatory system that has these principles as a starting point.

As I have previously stated, I urge both the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) and the Irish Tyre Wholesalers & Retailers Association (ITWRA) to re-join the process and re-engage with my Department in finalising the details for the new regulatory regime.