20 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment if he has discussed proposals for a national waste management plan with the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

29 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for the Environment whether he intends to publish a nationwide waste management plan; and so, if he will give details of the stage the document is at; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

62 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment his views on a national waste management policy.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 29 and 62 together.

All waste management planning is at present statutorily assigned to the major local authorities. The Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 does, however, permit the transfer of certain waste regulation functions to the Agency and it has already been indicated that consideration will be given in this context to transferring hazardous waste planning and management functions. There is no proposal at present to organise non-hazardous waste planning on a national basis, and while all organisational options are being carefully considered in the preparation of the new Waste Bill, it is unlikely that a national organisation of this function will emerge.

A national perspective on waste policy, as distinct from planning, has been developed in the recent discussion paper on waste issued on an informal basis by the Office for the Protection of the Environment. A copy of this paper is available in the Oireachtas Library. A national study of waste recycling options has been commissioned by my Office and will also be published shortly.