Will the Taoiseach advise the House if it is the Government's intention to proceed with plans to impose waste incinerators on communities throughout the State, despite the concerns about pollution and the obvious risks to public health? How does he square that policy with the position of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, who has publicly opposed the siting of any such incinerator in Wicklow or that of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, who himself was an objector to the Ringaskiddy proposition at the planning stage? Moreover, what is his position on the views of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, who claims to be opposed to the Poolbeg incinerator in Dublin South-East but is still quite happy to see four smaller incinerators based at different locations around Dublin?

Does the Taoiseach agree it is now incumbent on the city manager of Dublin City Council to withdraw plans for the Poolbeg proposition given that last Monday night, by an overwhelming vote of 33 to three, the democratically-elected and accountable members of Dublin City Council decided to reject it? Will the Taoiseach join me in urging respect for the democratic wishes of the electorate as expressed at that meeting? Has he also noticed that the overwhelming majority of his own party's representatives on Dublin City Council supported the Sinn Féin motion of opposition to the proposed incinerator?

Will the Taoiseach call on the board of the EPA to make itself available at its own oral hearings, something it has yet to accede to, and that it will be accountable for its decisions? Will the Government listen to the will of the people on this issue, which is of major concern and importance, and come down on the side of the responsible addressing of the waste problems we all face?

The Government is committed to accelerated delivery of all infrastructure which is necessary to underpin economic growth and it is placing emphasis at the top of the waste hierarchy with waste prevention to the fore. We are dealing, once and for all, with integral and illegal waste activities by putting in place the necessary structures to deal with individuals and companies who are breaching those guidelines. Deputy Ó Caoláin will be aware that thermal treatment plants are a key element of modern waste strategy everywhere in the world. The countries which have the best——

Terminal for whom?

Allow the Taoiseach without interruption. Deputy Ó Caoláin was allowed put his question without interruption and the Taoiseach is entitled to exactly the same courtesy.

I seek a clarification of the Taoiseach's definition of the word "terminal".

The Chair will have to take appropriate action if the Deputy does not allow the Taoiseach to reply.

All over the world thermal treatment plans are a key part of modern waste management systems. The most environmentally-friendly countries, with the best environmental standards and which are quoted in all the international reports, have thermal treatment as an integral part of their plans. If the Deputy examines any of these programmes or the presentations prepared by NGOs on this issue, he will see that is the case.

The regional waste plans, which are being actively implemented, are being reviewed and updated. There has also been a number of other initiatives. The Government has enacted the Protection of the Environment Act 2003 and a draft national biodegradable study will be finished shortly which is intended to assist in the direction of the major element of waste from landfill to be implemented through the regional waste plans which are now being updated.

The overall recycling rate has been accelerated rapidly. A few years ago, I answered questions in the House indicating that the figures for recycling were tiny and had little effect but the rate increased to 9% in 1998, 21% in 2002, 28% in 2003 and last year it increased as it has this year. We have reached a serious stage in meeting these targets. The number of bottle banks has increased from approximately 400 a number of years ago to almost 1,700. By the end of 2003, the last year for which we have figures, the segregated waste collection service was provided to 42% of all households in the State, which figure has been rising rapidly.

All of these issues are progressing. Our figures are among the best in Europe. We have improved from being nowhere on the list to a very high level. Issues such as packaging waste recycling has increased rapidly and there has been remarkable progress. Ireland is well on track to meet the EU's 50% recycling target for the waste stream by the end of this year. We have allocated enormous funds from the environmental fund for this purpose. More than 93 local waste recycling projects are operating in local authority areas. I am sure Deputy Ó Caoláin will welcome these amazing improvements. If his scientific information is that the thermal treatment plants are not up to these international standards and he provides the evidence to me, I will have it examined.

Once again the Taoiseach has avoided addressing the questions put to him. He did not address the issue of the decision of Dublin City Council last Monday and the support for the Sinn Féin motion of many of his own party's representatives in the city. He has not called on the Dublin city manager to respect the democratic wishes of the elected representatives of the city council. He has not called on the board of the EPA to make itself amenable to its own oral hearings. He has continued to obfuscate, which is clearly his penchant at almost all times. Does the Taoiseach accept that this is primarily an issue about democracy and public health? That is what we are talking about here.

When the people of County Louth dissented about the north-east waste management strategy because it imposed incineration, the former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Noel Dempsey, incinerated democracy. He took the power from the hands of local councillors and vested it in county and city managers under whose diktat he was able to impose the plans. We are now faced with an incinerator at Carronstown, County Meath, the hearings for which will commence in the week of the by-election in Meath and Kildare North. That is a very important date. With everything the Taoiseach has said, it is apparent he was more taken by his visit to China than he has admitted heretofore, having been absolutely impressed by the powers of the mayor of Shanghai in respect of planning matters. I assure the Taoiseach that the electorate in this country will not accept Shanghai-type standards in democracy or public health, or indeed the planning process, something the Taoiseach and his party know far too much about.

One will not see the Belfast brigade talking of that.

Or the Limerick one.

Allow the Taoiseach without interruption, please.

We have probably one of the most open processes in the world with regard to planning issues and I agree with that, though it takes time. The systems of local authority, of planning, of courts and of the EPA are all open and transparent and all issues have to be considered by them. That does not take from the fact that we are making substantial progress in dealing with the waste issue. I have given the figures. We have established the office of environmental enforcement, a distinct and dedicated unit of the EPA to deliver enhanced environmental compliance through enforcement of EPA licences, which is the right thing to do. Substantial funding has been provided to local authorities from the environmental fund specifically for enforcement. We also have the national enforcement network. The local authorities and managers also have their powers in place and I do not need to comment on them. The legislation governs the EPA. All these matters are in place. We are committed to accelerating the delivery of infrastructure necessary to underpin economic growth.

The only thing I object to is the people who on one side want to oppose landfill sites and thermal treatment and do not really subscribe to recycling. They want to be against everything and for nothing.

Like the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Please allow the Taoiseach to conclude.

Unfortunately, the reality is the waste issue must be dealt with.

The most comprehensive——

I ask Deputy Ó Caoláin to allow the Taoiseach to conclude without interruption.

We are using the best international standards in every system in this country. The regulatory system and the independent system are there to oversee that.

The Taoiseach should try to sell that to the people of County Meath.

Deputy Ó Caoláin, this is a parliamentary democracy and the Taoiseach is entitled to be heard without interruption in the same way as the Deputy.

The Deputy would be unfamiliar with that.

This is a modern economy which must deal with waste of all kinds if we are to have 2 million of our citizens working every day. To say we do not have to deal with it is running away from the issue. We should be looking at the best environmental standards. This is the right thing to do and we are doing it.