Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 566: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress he has made to clampdown on illegal dumping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13882/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Considerable progress has been made by the relevant statutory agencies in dealing with illegal waste activity. In particular, since the establishment of the Office of Environmental Enforcement in 2003, enforcement has been better structured through the establishment of a national Enforcement Network. The OEE and the Enforcement Network has greatly raised awareness and brought about better practice and a more coordinated and consistent approach to environmental enforcement by the relevant authorities. Annual supporting funding from my Department's Environment Fund of over €7.5m has led to some 120 additional local authority enforcement personnel and a greatly enhanced response on the ground. Since its establishment the OEE has conducted 282 investigations into local authority statutory performance issues relating to waste management and served 142 advice and recommendation notices in relation to these investigations. Four directions have been served on local authorities in relation to waste management issues and the directions have all been complied with.

In October 2005 the OEE published a major study, The Nature and Extent of Unauthorised Waste Activity in Ireland, which concluded that large scale illegal dumping is no longer occurring but local authorities now have to cope with problems such as fly-tipping and backyard burning.

Where illegal deposition is discovered, the policy direction which I issued in 2005 sets the standard in terms of the expected response from the regulatory authorities, who are obliged to ensure that the necessary remedial measures will be taken to ensure that sites are restored and that waste illegally deposited is appropriately disposed of or recovered.

In support of this policy a code of practice has been prepared by the EPA and will be launched later this month. This guidance elaborates on a number of issues set out in the direction and will provide a framework for assessing the environmental risk of both illegal and historic landfills so that informed decisions can be taken in relation to the optimal environmental outcome for these sites. As a further measure the Agency has also led the development of a new national complaints procedure to facilitate members of the public in reporting illegal waste activity, which embodies a national free phone number.

In addition, under regulations which I made in 2006, the landfill levy has been increased for illegal waste activities. The regulations provide that the levy payable on waste disposed of at an unauthorised landfill after 28 July 2006 is increased to €20 per tonne, an increase of €5 per tonne on the rate which had applied.

Finally the OEE, through the use of its own powers to oversee the statutory performance of local authorities, is ensuring that actions are being taken which will ensure that situations of general and persistent failure to act on illegal waste deposition will not in the future be allowed to happen.