Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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39. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the current status of the exemption provided to farmers to dispose of untreated and uncontaminated green waste such as trees, wood, trimmings, leaves, bushes or similar materials generated by agricultural practices by burning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6841/22]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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46. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason that he has not signed the derogation with regard to the burning of bushes, branches and so on (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6981/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 46 together.

Under the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009, the burning of household, garden, commercial or industrial waste is not permitted.

Previously, an exemption under the legislation had been provided for the burning of green waste generated by agricultural purposes. The burning of green waste is a matter of concern and leads to localised air pollution. More broadly, health problems associated with air pollution are widely known and acknowledged.

The sunset clause in the Regulations, whereby the granting of exemptions would come to a definite end at a specified time, has been extended on four different occasions in the past. It was not envisaged that the exemption would continue indefinitely. The most recent exemption, under the legislation, expired on the 1^stJanuary, 2022.

Regulations to extend the exemption until 1^stJanuary 2023 will be published in the coming days. I anticipate this will be the final extension. Discussions between officials from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will commence – to examine alternative options to the practice of burning of this waste.