Written answers

Thursday, 31 May 2018

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Household Waste Collection Price Monitoring Group

Photo of Brian StanleyBrian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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23. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans for alternative tendering options for household waste collection in line with models that exist across the EU. [23939/18]

Photo of Bríd SmithBríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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24. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will commission a report on the feasibility of the remunicipalisation of the household waste collection service in view of the rising costs, poorer services and the increased difficulties in achieving sustainable waste management under the current privatised system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23893/18]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 24 together.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is currently conducting a study on the operation of the household waste collection market which it will complete in 2018.

I understand that the study will assess the nature and scale of consumer and operator issues in the household waste collection market and consider if the introduction of an enhanced regulatory regime could efficiently address these issues in the short and long term. I have been informed that the study will include the following elements:

- research on current issues in the waste sector;

- an economic assessment of the household waste collection market;

- an overview of waste collection in other countries; and

- recommendations, based on the evidence collected, to address any systemic issues uncovered.

Separately, I also established a Household Waste Collection Price Monitoring Group (PMG) last year to monitor the rates charged by household waste collectors during the phasing out of flat rate fees. The PMG has met each month since September 2017 and has considered eight months of pricing data trends. The PMG has indicated that, in the vast majority of cases to date, prices have remained stable.

The results from the PMG in conjunction with the study being undertaken by the CCPC will provide an evidence base for future policy decisions in relation to the household waste market.​

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