Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that the current level of fines, detection and punishment for litter offences are a sufficient deterrent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30352/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am satisfied that the enforcement powers and penalties available to local authorities under the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2003 are adequate to tackle the problem of litter pollution. The 2003 Act strengthened litter legislation generally and substantially increased the financial penalties for litter offences. Since the introduction of the 1997 Act, local authority performance on enforcement of the litter laws has improved significantly, with more litter wardens employed and substantial increases in the number of prosecutions taken and on-the-spot fines issued.