Written answers

Tuesday, 8 November 2016

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Waste Management

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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465. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will publish the report of the inter-departmental group that was established under A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland on the possible introduction of a household waste collection waiver scheme; if he does not publish these reports, his views on whether the Houses of the Oireachtas can make an informed decision on issues pertaining to waste waivers without knowing the contents of his Department's reports; the way he proposes to resolve the issue of waste waivers by July 2017 when the voluntary agreement with waste sector companies on pay by weight charging ends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33610/16]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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An interdepartmental working group, established in line with national waste policy to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low income households, submitted two reports to the previous Government. It should be noted that there has never been a national waiver scheme for household waste collection. During the period in which local authorities were directly involved in the collection of household waste, a minority of individual Councils offered different levels of discount to selected households, based on different qualification criteria. As local authorities exited the waste collection market, some required the private operators which took on the Councils’ customers to provide a level of discount for existing waiver customers only, and even then, for only a limited time.

The vast majority of such contractual commitments for private operators to provide a waiver have now expired. In that context, the number of households in receipt of waiver discounts is likely to decline over time, especially as some householders were able to take advantage of special reduced offers elsewhere which actually undercut the waiver price. However, selected private operators still offer some level of discount to former waiver customers on a voluntary basis.

In addition, a very limited number of local authorities make financial contributions towards the cost of, or pay for, the collection of waste from certain households. Again, the qualification criteria and level of support differ from area to area.

With the exception of one or two municipal districts, local authorities no longer collect waste. Waste collection is now serviced by a diverse range of private operators, where the fees charged are a matter between service provider and customer and the range of services and fees offered vary amongst providers and across the country. In that regard, it is becoming increasingly apparent that a national waiver scheme could not be imposed in the context of an open market for waste collection.

Notwithstanding the above, as previously stated, a review of the way households are charged for the collection of waste, with a focus on encouraging households to prevent, separate and recycle waste and to reduce residual waste going to landfills, is due to be completed by July next year.

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