Written answers

Thursday, 21 October 2021

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Waste Management

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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154. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the capacity that remains in the three remaining municipal landfill sites; when they are due to close; if extensions have been sought to EPA licences and or current planning applications and appeals; the alternative arrangements that are in place once they close; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51742/21]

Photo of Ossian SmythOssian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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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 of their statutory functions under the Act. Therefore questions in relation to the operation of the remaining municipal waste landfills in the State are best directed to the relevant local authorities concerned, namely Wicklow County Council, Kildare County Council and Meath County Council.

However, in line with commitments given at the recent hearing of the Public Accounts Committee, my officials will collate the requested information and provide it directly to the Committee.

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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155. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the regional waste management plans; the regions covered by the plans; if domestic waste generated in those regions is wholly disposed of within those regions; if not, the type of waste that is disposed of outside the region; the location of the waste disposed of and the volumes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51743/21]

Photo of Ossian SmythOssian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The Regional Waste Management Planning Offices (RWMPOs), on behalf of the local authority sector, are currently drafting one National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy which will replace the current three Regional Waste Management Plans. A pre-draft public consultation process took place earlier this year and I am informed that the RWMPOs expect to publish a draft plan in Q1 2022, followed by a further public consultation process with the final plan expected  to be published in mid 2022. For details of the Regions covered by the current Regional Waste Management Plans please see , and . Not all waste generated in a specific region is disposed of within that region - some is processed within the same or other regions, some is sent for recovery in other EU Member States.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for the collation of national waste data and reports annually on Ireland’s performance against the targets set out in EU and national legislation, please see for further information.

Finally, the National Transfrontier Shipments Office (NTFSO) maintains statistics and information on shipments of waste to and from Ireland, the NTFSO Waste Registers are available at the following link .

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