John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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478. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the capacity constraints with regard to handling Ireland’s waste volumes; and the way in which future municipal and industrial waste streams will be managed in the short and medium term to match the projected rise in population. [20970/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Waste management planning is the responsibility of local authorities under Part II of the Waste Management Act 1996 (as amended). In this regard, waste management plans for the Connacht-Ulster, Eastern Midlands and Southern Regions were made in May 2015. The plans comprehensively set out clear strategies, policies and actions to address the prevention, generation, collection and management of waste in the State for the period 2015 to 2021. The development and implementation of the plans will give effect to national and EU waste management policies and legislation. The plans are available at:http://southernwasteregion.ie/content/southern-region-waste-management-plan-2015-2021-associated-reports ;

http://emwr.ie/about-the-eastern-midlands-regional-waste-management-plan ; and

http://www.curwmo.ie/publications/ .

Under section 60(3) of that Act, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance, in specific cases, by a local authority of their statutory functions under the Act. However, my Department has and will continue to engage with the three Regional Waste Management Planning Lead Authorities and other environmental regulatory bodies on the issue of having sufficient capacity and systems in place to ensure that we continue to live in healthy communities and that protection is afforded to our environment.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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479. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the licensed waste disposal facilities located in each county, local authority area or region; and the estimated remaining capacity of each. [20971/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Waste management planning, including with regard to infrastructure provision, is the responsibility of local authorities under Part II of the Waste Management Act, 1996 (as amended). Under section 60(3) of that Act, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance, in specific cases, by a local authority or the Environmental Protection Agency of their statutory functions under the Act.

The Waste Management Act 1996 and the Waste Management (Licensing) Regulations 2004 govern the process under which waste licences are applied for and maintained. Once granted, each waste licence defines the nature of environmentally acceptable activities that can take place at a waste facility, including the acceptable types of waste that can be received. This is done by the conditions of the licence which are set by the Environmental Protection Agency. I have no function in relation either to the setting of operating conditions or to their enforcement. It is a key aspect of the legislation, passed by the Oireachtas, to establish the EPA, that the Agency is entirely independent of the Minister in the exercise of its functions.

Comprehensive detail on EPA licences is available on the EPA’s website atand further information is also available from the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability at Licensing@epa.ie.