Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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53. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the type of investigation that should be initiated into the waste industry in view of circumstances (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18302/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Waste collection in Ireland is subject to compliance with applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, primarily the Waste Management Act 1996, as amended, and conditions attached to each waste collector’s collection permit under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended. Waste collection in individual local authority areas may also be subject to local bye-laws.

Waste collection is the statutory responsibility of local authorities. Under section 33 of the Waste Management Act 1996, as amended, there is a general duty on a local authority to either itself collect the household waste in its functional area or alternatively to arrange for its collection by third parties. I am precluded under Section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act 1996 from the exercise of any power or control in relation to the performance by a local authority, in particular circumstances, of a statutory function vested in under the Act.

While waste collection companies must comply with environmental and all other applicable legislation in the course of collecting waste, issues concerning the corporate structure of waste collection companies fall outside my remit as Minister.