Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

Given the public health issues involved, enforcement of the legislation falls to the Health Service Executive. Furthermore, where problems of this nature occur in local authority accommodation, the local authority, in its capacity as landlord, has a responsibility to ensure the property is being maintained in a reasonable condition and does not constitute a health risk. The landlord may in this case insist on making an inspection of the property and ensuring that whatever remedial action is required to deal with the issue is taken.

I am carrying out a review of waste and litter policy and one of the aspects I will be considering is the adequacy of litter fines and litter legislation generally. While it is unlikely that, for the privacy related issues I have indicated, I will be able to amend the Litter Pollution Act to encompass areas that are not in public view, I will certainly consider the matter raised by the Deputy in the context of that review.

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