Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1094: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount paid into the Environment Fund in each year since its establishment, including payments of moneys collected under the environmental levy on plastic bags and the landfill levy in addition to other sources; the amount paid out of the fund in each such year, indicating the purposes for which each such payment was made; if he has satisfied himself that payments out of the Environment Fund are for purposes that are additional to and not in substitution for normal Exchequer expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19864/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Copies of the Environment Fund's Annual Accounts up to and including 2005 are available in the Oireachtas library. The Annual Accounts in respect of 2006 are being prepared at present. They will be lodged in the Oireachtas library once they have been audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The Fund was established by the Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2001, to be managed and controlled by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. This ring fenced fund can only be used for activities that support the environment and has been used to support—

Operational costs of running civic recycling facilities

Enforcement of the Waste Management Acts

North / south waste initiatives such as the award winning all-island scheme for the management of waste fridges and freezers

Waste awareness campaigns

A very successful "Green Schools" initiative and

The provision of waste management infrastructure including civic recycling facilities and bring centres.

Waste management infrastructure is also funded from the Exchequer.

The Environment Fund has provided a substantial environmental dividend. Since it was established in 2001 to the end of 2005, there has been a

35% increase in the number of bring banks,

76% increase in the number of civic amenity facilities,

151% increase in packaging waste recovered,

216% increase in the quantity of waste recycled,

This has enabled Ireland to—

Achieve the national municipal waste recycling target for 2013 of 35% during 2005, eight years ahead of schedule,

Exceed the packaging recycling target for 2005 by 9.9%, and come within 0.1% of achieving the 2011 target of 60%, six years in advance, and

Exceed the national target for the 85% recovery target by 2013 for construction and demolition waste during 2005, eight years ahead of schedule.

The plastic bag levy has played a key role in raising public awareness and contributed directly to a 90% reduction in litter arising from plastic bags.