79 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when he will publish his plans to deal with recycling and waste management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26708/01]

A policy statement on preventing and recycling waste has been prepared by my Department which, following consultation with Comhar – the National Sustainable Development Partnership – and the EPA, now under way and approval by the Government, will be published before the end of the year. The policy statement will address in detail the factors and practical considerations which are relevant to the achievement of Government policy objectives for prevention and minimisation of waste and the widest practicable re-use and recycling of the waste which is produced.

National recycling targets were set in the 1998 policy statement, Changing Our Ways, which provided an overall policy framework for the modernisation of waste management. A variety of additional measures will now be put in place to support better recycling performance towards the achievement of these targets.