Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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268. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the establishment of a regulator for the waste industry. [5231/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I have established a Household Waste Collection Price Monitoring Group (PMG) to monitor the rates charged by household waste collectors and to date the PMG has met on five separate occasions: 13 September, 11 October, 14 November, 12 December and 9 January 2018 and considered four months of pricing data trends. Statements by the PMG have been released on a monthly basis since November 2017 and are available on my Department's website as are details of the role and membership of the group as well as the market analysis of the cost of household waste collection carried out by the group in December, 2017.  In addition, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is conducting a study on the operation of the household waste collection market. The CCPC has indicated that it hopes to finalise the study in 2018.  

The results from the PMG will be monitored and analysed and in conjunction with the study being undertaken by the CCPC will provide an evidence base regarding the future monitoring or the potential need for additional regulation of the waste market.