Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2026
3. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his plans to introduce a waste regulator for the re-municipalisation of domestic waste collection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10519/26]
View answerUnder the Waste Management Act, the National Waste Collection Permit Office is responsible for the permitting and regulation of waste collection activities while the Environmental Protection Agency has responsibility for enforcement and oversight in relation to waste facilities and broader environmental compliance.
An independent waste collection study is currently underway to examine:
the operation of the current waste collection market structure;
the effectiveness of the existing regulatory and enforcement arrangements in supporting the attainment of recycling targets; and
the feasibility, potential benefits and risks associated with a transition of our waste collection system from its current model of side-by-side market competition to a franchise tendering system for local authority areas or regions.
This study is ongoing and is being undertaken with full regard to competition law requirements. Any future decisions, such as whether to establish an independent economic regulator, will be taken in line with the relevant framework and following appropriate consideration of the study’s findings. It should be noted that under the Waste Management Act the statutory responsibility for decisions on waste collection arrangements, including any move towards franchise tendering, rests with the Chief Executive of each local authority.
The study will be completed this year and its recommendations including any future policy decisions in relation to waste collection and regulatory arrangements will help to inform the next iteration of the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy.
