Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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191. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if black bin bags will still be an option for persons with disabilities, persons living alone and infirm and persons living in a terrace of street houses with no rear access and with no space internally to manoeuvre a wheelie bin through their kitchen, living room and hallways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18180/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended, the collection of bags is being phased out from 1 July, 2016. Local authorities have been requested to designate areas as not being suitable for wheelie bin collections (i.e. designate areas which should remain on bag collections) in advance of the deadline.

In brief, the criteria they have been asked to use in undertaking the exercise to designate ‘bag collection areas’ are as follows:

-No space within the boundary of the property - front, rear or side - to store 3 bins.

- Physical features which make it difficult to move a bin to the front edge of the property or nearest boundary for presentation, e.g. steep gradient and or steps (the advice of a Roads Engineer should be sought) or that would present an unreasonable difficulty.

-The area (e.g. street) is too narrow for a refuse collection vehicle to access properties and the nearest Designated Collection Point or suitable presentation point is greater than 100m from the property (again, the advice of a Roads Engineer should be sought on this issue).

-Where the Local Authority is notified of exceptional circumstances by a householder / resident and the Local Authority certifies same.

Many local authorities have now completed the process of designating areas where bag collections may continue, if applicable, and should be contacted for further information.