Mr. Sean Scott:

I know time is limited. The WERLA office has been mentioned quite a bit. We produced a 2017 annual report, which outlines our activities and we can circulate it to the committee if necessary. While our role is to co-ordinate a consistent approach to enforcement, local authorities remain the boots on the ground in that regard. We support that. Where local authorities have asked us for assistance, we have provided it. There is clear evidence of that across the country. As my colleague, Mr. McGarvey says, our work is co-ordinated through the national waste enforcement steering committee. We have great support in the Connacht-Ulster region from Donegal and Leitrim county councils as the consortium leading the WERLA locally.

The RTÉ programme mentioned the number of permits. However, local authorities nationally deal with 60,000 waste and litter complaints, 1,000 permits, approximately 2,000 waste collection permits and producer-responsibility initiatives.

Deputy Ryan mentioned dumping. We recognise this as an issue and we sought funding from the Department in 2017, which resulted in €1.8 million being allocated for anti-dumping initiatives. There are 190 projects nationally and there have been good outcomes with a good buy-in from communities. We encourage local authorities to look at innovations such as mobile workforce applications. There has been another €2 million this year to repeat the initiatives. It will build on the work Donegal and other local authorities across the country are doing in their local communities