Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 566: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his proposals to deal with the ongoing problem of litter on motorways, dual carriageways and roadways; if he plans particular initiatives to deal with this growing nuisance; if he has initiated an audit by his Department of the extent of this problem; if he has raised this issue with local authorities or the National Roads Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9130/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Under the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2003, primary responsibility for developing and implementing responses to litter lies with local authorities, who are required to take all practicable measures for the prevention, control and disposal of litter in their functional areas. My Department is in regular contact with local authorities in this regard.

The National Litter Pollution Monitoring System (NLPMS) provides annual information in relation to litter levels and causative factors, which enables ongoing monitoring of the situation by my Department. The trends emerging from the NLPMS are generally positive and show a modest but steady reduction in litter levels; 60% of all areas surveyed in 2006 were either litter-free or slightly littered.

A survey of the composition of litter on rural roads in six local authorities, carried out for the NLPMS in 2006, identified packaging items as the most significant component of litter in these areas. My Department is currently in discussions with the 'food on the go' sector aimed at negotiating a voluntary agreement to combat the incidence of food related litter of this kind.

The National Roads Authority has no specific function in regard to litter management.