Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

While the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to illegal dumping, including any decision to deploy CCTV and other technologies, lies with local authorities, my Department continues to provide extensive policy, financial and legislative support to the local authority sector to support its efforts. Almost €18 million has been provided to local authorities under the anti-dumping initiative since it was first introduced in 2017, including more than €2.8 million last year alone. This is to encourage a collaborative approach between local authorities, community groups and other State agencies to tackling the problem of illegal dumping. While allocation for the current year is still to be finalised, I expect that an amount similar to that provided last year, approximately €2.8 million, will be made available.

My Department continues to invest heavily in the local authority waste enforcement network through the local authority waste enforcement measures grant scheme, with the intention of maintaining a visible presence of waste enforcement personnel on the ground across the State. A total of €7.7 million has been allocated to local authorities for 2024. A further €3.8 million has been allocated this year to support the enhancement of the role, responsibilities and staffing complement of the three waste enforcement regional lead authorities and to support the local authority waste programme co-ordination office. My Department has agreed to support these measures in order to position the local authority sector to better respond to emerging and priority enforcement challenges, including tackling the scourge of illegal dumping. My Department also supports local authority efforts to tackle litter through the anti-litter and anti-graffiti awareness grant scheme. In 2023, €750,000 was provided under this scheme, with a similar amount expected to be made available in 2024.

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