Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if it is permissible for waste companies to decide not to service certain estates or areas in Dublin; his views on whether there is potential risk that customers will be left with just one available waste collection service; his further views on whether this risks the creation of monopoly positions in certain areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37850/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I have no legislative power to compel a private company to provide a service to specific properties. The obligations on local authorities in relation to collecting household waste are set out in section 33 of the Waste Management Act 1996, as amended. In summary, it provides that each local authority shall collect, or arrange for the collection of, household waste within its functional area. The obligation to collect or arrange for the collection of household waste shall not apply if:

- an adequate waste collection service is available in the local authority's functional area,

- the estimated costs of the collection of the waste would, in the opinion of the local authority, be unreasonably high, or

- the local authority is satisfied that adequate arrangements for the disposal of the waste concerned can reasonably be made by the holder of the waste.

Under section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act 1996, as Minister, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by a local authority, in particular circumstances, of a statutory function vested in it.

A review of "A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland " was initiated earlier this year. This review process will take account of a number of initiatives, such as the European Circular Economy waste and plastics legislation framework and the reports from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Price Monitoring Group. This process will inform the development of future national waste management policy, including our environmental goals, regulatory and market structures, and relevant policy instruments and tools.