Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 743: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will introduce legislation prohibiting the introduction of thermal treatment plants here; and the date on which this legislation will be introduced. [16911/07]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 744: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will introduce legislation that allows waste management strategies to become a reserved function of local government; and the date on which this legislation will be introduced. [16912/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 743 and 744 together.

The Programme for Government includes measures to broaden out our approach to managing residual waste, with an increased emphasis on other technologies, including methods for mechanically and biologically treating waste. The Programme rules out adjusting the landfill levy in such a way as to give a competitive advantage to incineration, and also commits to ensuring that for any future projects neither the State nor local authorities will be exposed to financial risk through put or pay clauses in contracts for waste facilities.

The Programme does not include a legislative prohibition, as such, on incineration; nor would this appear to be consistent with EU legislation. The Programme for Government also includes commitments to carry out an international review of the regional waste management plans, for which local authorities currently have statutory responsibility on the basis determined by the Oireachtas, and more generally in regard to local government reform. In this context, consideration will arise as to what further changes may be necessary to ensure that Ireland has the appropriate legal and other mechanisms to properly determine an approach to waste management which is line with best international practice.