The State is being taken to the European Court of Justice for its failure to implement key provisions in three EU waste directives, the European Commission has announced.
The Government is accused of failure to adopt and communicate to the Commission waste management plans in line with the requirements of:
the 1975 Framework Waste Directive;
the 1991 Hazardous Waste Directive;
and the 1994 Packaging Waste Directive.
The plans are a central element in Commission monitoring of member-states' progress in implementing agreed reforms.
In its statement yesterday the Commission said the Republic's waste plans did not cover all of the State or all wastes and there were no chapters on packaging waste.
A spokeswoman for the Department of the Environment said last night that the Commission was aware the Department had pledged to comply fully with the legislation.
A major national overhaul of waste planning has been under way as a result of 1996 domestic legislation which, the Department insists, will take the State's provisions well beyond EU requirements.
Full compliance with the European Union directives is expected by next summer.
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