Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he expects the baseline studies of the national waste prevention programme to be produced by the core prevention team; and his rationale for waiting until now to initiate the national waste prevention programme, in view of the fact that waste prevention is the top priority in waste management. [9597/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to an integrated approach to waste management based on the internationally recognised hierarchy of prevention-minimisation, significantly increased levels of recycling, energy recovery and, finally, utilising landfill as the last resort for residual waste that cannot otherwise be recovered. The policy document, delivering change, published in 2002 contained a commitment to establish a core prevention unit in the Environmental Protection Agency to develop and drive a national waste prevention programme.

This unit was subsequently established by the Environmental Protection Agency which also produced a draft national waste prevention programme which was published in 2004. In 2004, I also established a national waste prevention committee made up of representatives of the key public and private sector stakeholders to oversee and guide the programme.

While the implementation of the programme is a matter for the EPA, I understand that the core prevention team has produced an outline work plan for the period 2004-08, which describes the focus of the programme and provides an outline of the projects to be undertaken. A certified training programme in waste prevention and minimisation has been developed in consultation with IBEC and the clean technology centre. A grant aid programme for waste prevention by local authorities is also being undertaken.

Where regulatory provisions are required as the programme is implemented, these will be given consideration by my Department. Further information on the programme can be obtained at the agency's website at www.epa.ie.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he intends to take to tackle the problem of unauthorised waste collection and fly-tipping which according to the Environmental Protection Agency annual report is a problem for over 50 local authorities nationwide. [9581/06]

Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the volume of fly-tipping detected here in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9497/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 95 together.

My Department does not compile detailed information on the incidence of fly-tipping. The recently published report of the Office of Environmental Enforcement, entitled The Nature and Extent of Unauthorised Waste Activity in Ireland, identifies the unauthorised collection and fly-tipping of waste as one of the problem areas in regard to waste management which needs to be tackled further. The report draws attention to the measures already being taken, including the appointment of over 100 additional enforcement officers across local authorities, funded by my Department, and the stepped up enforcement activity generally being led by the office and local authorities. The report also identifies additional actions which would further bolster the effort to stamp out this socially and environmentally unacceptable practice.

Enforcement of environmental legislation is a matter for local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement. I understand that the office, through the enforcement network it has established, arranged a meeting of regional co-ordinators on 17 January 2006 to finalise the overall content of the work plans for enforcement activities for 2006, which includes initiatives planned to deal with fly-tipping in each of the regions. The implementation of these measures, or other local initiatives to address issues of litter or waste, are essentially a matter for the local authority concerned.

My Department will continue to liaise with the Office of Environmental Enforcement and other enforcement authorities to ensure that the momentum to tackle such activities is maintained.