asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give serious consideration to the establishment of a sewage and domestic refuse recycling plant in the Dublin area; whether the feasibility of this suggestion has already been investigated; and, if so, the results, including any estimate of cost; and if not, why.

I presume that the type of plant which the Deputy has in mind would be for the composting of a mixture of sewage and domestic refuse. I am advised that a plant of this kind has recently been constructed near Salzburg, Austria, at a cost of about £40 million. The plant is designed to handle 100,000 tons of solid waste and 30,000 cubic metres of liquid waste per annum. It serves the city and neighbouring communities having a total population of 520,000 people. Actual operating costs are not yet known but are likely to be high. A levy is charged for refuse collection which is roughly equivalent to 12p per bin of 90 litre capacity.

As regards the Dublin area, the establishment of such a plant would be a matter for consideration by the local authorities concerned. However, present methods of disposal for both domestic refuse and sewage sludge are far cheaper.

Would the Minister of State not agree that every inducement should be given to Dublin Corporation to establish a recycling plant for refuse and sewage in view of the polluting effects of the present methods of disposal? In other words, is the Minister of State prepared to help Dublin Corporation to establish this plant by giving them money?

The establishment of a plant is a matter for consideration by Dublin Corporation. If the proposal they submit to my Department is considered feasible, it will be approved. Careful consideration would have to be given to such a proposal having regard to the cost factor, and it would have to be weighed up against the benefits to be received from such a proposal.

Is the Minister prepared to help Dublin Corporation with money towards the establishment of this plant?

I am prepared to help and advise Dublin Corporation in every way possible, but there are many problems in the way of setting up such a plant. For example, the Salzburg plant is on a site of 200 acres and about 200 to 300 tons of solid waste are brought in daily and dumped in an immediate storage tank. The Deputy will appreciate that consumption must be very large to justify the expenditure on such a plant. The Austrian plant is situated in a rural area away from houses because there is a characteristic smell of refuse in the immediate vicinity but the compost is not objectionable.

Why did the Minister give a particularly unattractive example far from this country when examples of recycling are more common closer to home, an outstandingly good example is Nottingham which is more like the kind of plant we should have in Dublin? Is his implicit rejection of my colleague's proposal in this question based on examination by his Department or on information supplied from outside?

My reply is based on information available in my Department.

Have they carried out their own investigations?

Yes, they know very well what the problems are and whether such a proposal would be feasible.

Why did the Minister of State give the Austrian example as opposed to examples nearer home?

I quoted it as an example.

It was an extremely bad example. There are many other better examples nearer home.

Question No. 11.

(Cavan-Monaghan): If we could get nearer home, is the Minister of State aware that a recycling seminar will be held in Cork shortly after Christmas and is it his intention to go there?

That is a separate question.

Yes, it is.