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October 2008 - Investigation into the operation by Local Authorities of Waiver Schemes for Refuse Collection Charges

Appendix 12

Appendix 12

Response of Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government to the Draft Report

 

 

29 May 2008

 

Mr Pat Whelan

Director General

Office of the Ombudsman

18 Lower Leeson Street

Dublin 2

 

Dear Mr Whelan,

 

Thank you for providing us with a copy of your draft report on waiver schemes administered by local authorities.

 

The Department welcomes this report by the Ombudsman as a significant contribution to an issue which has been the subject of repeated comment by stakeholders and will be giving  the report, and in particular the recommendations contained within it, our fullest consideration in the context of the ongoing review of the regulation of the waste management sector.

 

The report highlights issues in the operation of waiver schemes operated by local authorities and the absence of such schemes in areas serviced by the private sector.  These are matters which have previously been raised in the social partnership context by  the community and voluntary sector who have argued that low-income households in areas serviced by private waste collectors are treated inequitably in comparison to those receiving waivers from local authorities; that they are also treated inequitably in comparison to higher income households in the same areas, as the latter can avail of tax relief on their waste charges; and that real hardship arises in certain cases as a result.  As noted previously, discussions have taken place between this Department and the Department of Social and Family Affairs in response to the issues raised but it did not  prove possible to identify a mechanism to address the issues raised through the social welfare system.

 

It is recognised that significant regulatory issues have emerged as waste management  services have rapidly evolved in recent years, including through the rapid growth in, and consolidation of, the private waste management sector.  These matters have been the subject of a formal public consultation, including the dual role of local authorities as regulators and service providers, the need to ensure that waste services are provided in a manner consistent with the achievement of national and EU environmental objectives and targets, and the need to ensure that necessary public service criteria in relation to the provision of services in particular areas or in respect of specific households are properly reflected regardless of whether the service is  provided by the public or private sector.

 

There is no doubt that the existing regulatory framework requires modernisation. The identification of the changes necessary will be greatly assisted by the recent OECD review of the Irish public service, which included a specific case study on waste management, and will be implemented in the context of the overall review of national waste management policy provided for in the Programme for Government and now being initiated.

 

Yours sincerely

 

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Geraldine Tallon

Secretary General

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