Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. It has been estimated that it is costing local authorities throughout the country tens of millions of euro to clean up after people who are carrying out illegal dumping. I have raised previously in the House with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, who is seated beside the Minister of State, and on Leaders' Questions the issue of what is happening on the outskirts of Galway city, in Brocklagh, Castlegar, where there is constant illegal dumping and burning of tyres, copper wire and all sorts of other rubbish, including furniture and so on. The smoke that comes in over Galway city is horrendous. The damage that is doing to the environment, in terms of both air and ground pollution, is unreal. I have met Galway County Council and senior gardaí in Galway. Have the local authorities and the Garda Síochána the power to confiscate the vehicles of those they catch carrying illegal waste with the intention of dumping it on the side of the road or burning it? I believe there is a power under the legislation for local authorities and the Garda Síochána to seize a vehicle if they believe it is involved in illegal dumping. As I always say here, we should hit them where it hurts. If the vehicles are taken from these people, it will not take them long to stop dumping illegally.

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