189 Mr. Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if local authorities have the option to create and introduce a locally funded and administered refuse waiver scheme within its administrative area where the refuse collection service is provided by a private contractor. [42184/06]

I am advised that local authorities do not have the statutory power to provide a subsidy to private waste collectors to fund the operation of a waiver scheme in areas where the authority is not itself the service provider. However, in such areas, certain local authorities have, within the powers available to them, made arrangements to have waste collected from specific households.