One of the most important responses required from Government is clarity on its policies and positions. As I understand it, until recently, Government policy on the disposal of waste was to incinerate it and having examined and analysed the capacity of incinerators, eight were to be located throughout the regions. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, who is not here this morning, seems to have changed that policy. The situation is quite confusing. Deputy Gormley states there is only capacity for two incinerators in the country. Will the Taoiseach tell us about Government policy in this regard; is it proposed to have two or eight incinerators?

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley announced before the summer that the previous position would be reviewed——

Because he did not want it in his own constituency.

He does not influence the decisions on planning issues, such as on capacity. Deputy Gormely took the view that we should look at the modern technologies and the new systems being used in the Nordic countries and if we did that we would not need the number of incinerators that had been previously listed.

There are four major applications for incinerators in the planning process. Based on his examination of new technologies, perhaps we will not need eight incinerators — four was the number mentioned in a number of reports. In two applications, the capacity of the incinerator for which planning permission is being sought is higher than what was originally planned. Let us be very clear, the Minister's view——

He does not want it in his garden.

In his view, some of the proposals that were previously examined did not take account of the most modern technology and if we go with the most modern technology we would not need the number of incinerators that had been envisaged.

That does not answer the question. The question is whether we will have eight incinerators or two incinerators. I remind the Taoiseach that the Minister stated on Thursday, 11 October: "Ireland requires no more than two incinerators to deal with waste which cannot be recycled or processed, rather than the eight that are currently planned."

Dublin City Council has been working for quite a long time on a major incinerator in Poolbeg. Obviously the city council and local authorities must take account of Government policy. Was the Minister just spoofing when he stated the country needs no more than two incinerators instead of eight? Does that mean there will be no incinerator in Dublin city? I have put some straight questions to the Taoiseach, and I hope he will clarify the situation in his reply.

It does not mean that. As the Deputy knows there are contractual commitments and a considerable amount of work has been completed on the Poolbeg incinerator. However, that does not remove the need to look at modern technology for that incinerator. That is the point the Minister has made. We have seen where in at least one case and possibly two, the capacity of the proposed incinerators has been increased. The number of incinerators required depends on the capacity of each.

That is a load of rubbish.

We should take account of the most modern technology. That is the point the Minister made.

Is that landfill?

We want to move away from landfill. We should take account of the most modern technology available and as we have not started to build the incinerators, why should we use technology that is six or seven years out of date? That is a valid point for the Minister to make.