SERVICES
The waste management plans in Ireland are statutory planning documents whose objective is to set out a framework for the prevention and management of wastes for a defined regional area. The preparation of the waste plans is the statutory responsibility of the local authorities and two or more local authorities may jointly prepare a waste plan. Once prepared a plan is valid for a period of up to 6 years and under statutory obligations must be evaluated once every 6 years.
Ireland’s most recent waste policy statement recommended the number of waste management planning regions be consolidated from ten to three. This recommendation was guided by the national programme of reform of local government arrangements and the benefits identified from rationalising the regions in terms of concentration of local authority resources. The new regional structures also better recognise the nature of the Irish waste market and the movement of waste in the State.
The required content of the waste management plan is described in statute in the Waste Management Act and a specific statutory instrument namely the Waste Management (Planning) Regulations 1997 (as amended).
In preparing this plan the local authorities have considered their relevant statutory obligations, the European Commission’s guidance document on waste plans and reviewed relevant recommendations from other relevant planning strategic documents.
The Regional Waste Management Office
Arising from the reconfiguration of the Waste Regions and following a process facilitated by the City and County Managers Association, Mayo County Council was selected as the Lead Authority for the Connacht Ulster Waste Region. This region includes the local authority areas of Cavan County Council, Donegal County Council, Galway City Council, Galway County Council, Leitrim County Council, Mayo County Council, Monaghan County Council, Roscommon County Council and Sligo County Council.
As Lead Authority for the Connacht Ulster Waste Region, Mayo County Council’s responsibilities include the preparation of the Connacht Ulster Regional Waste Management Plan, which was published in May 2015, the coordination of the implementation of the plan over the plan period, 2015 – 2021, and monitoring the implementation of the new plan.
To deliver the Regional Waste Plan and to coordinate the implementation of the plan Mayo County Council have established the Connacht Ulster Regional Waste Management Office based at Aras An Chontae, The Mall, Castlebar, County Mayo. The Office is staffed by a Regional Waste Coordinator with technical and administrative support.