Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 419: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the amount of litter in our cities, towns and villages and throughout the countryside; if he has satisfied himself with the operation of the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System; his further views on the anti litter initiatives in which his Department has been successful; and if he has new proposals in this regard. [25203/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Litter is a scourge on our landscape and, apart from the substantial clean up costs incurred by local authorities, there can be negative consequences for society at large. I am pleased that recent results from Irish Business against Litter (IBAL) and the soon to be published results from my Department National Litter Pollution Monitoring System (NLPMS) point to a steady reduction in litter levels across the country. IBAL reported last week that 68% of areas monitored are now 'Clean to European Norms', up from 14% in 2002. This statistic is reflected in the 2008 NLPMS report which shows that 68% of areas surveyed displayed high levels of cleanliness compared to 48% in 2002.

The NLPMS has been in operation for 10 years and has generated a considerable body of data on litter levels and causes nationwide over that time, with over 5000 separate surveys per annum now being collated from local authorities by the Litter Monitoring Body. This information is a very valuable tool in the ongoing efforts of both my Department and local authorities to tackle the litter problem, allowing planners to allocate resources in a more effective, targeted manner. It has also enabled us to evaluate the success of the initiatives being undertaken on litter levels countrywide.

Education is a key component in resolving our litter problem; it is crucial that we continue to foster an attitude across society that views littering as unacceptable. My Department supports a number of anti-litter initiatives which are enjoying increasing success in achieving this objective. National Spring Clean motivated almost 500,000 volunteers across Ireland to take part in litter-picking activities in April, while the Green Schools Programme, which has litter control as a core activity, has achieved a high level of success. Other initiatives supported by my Department, such as TidyTowns, the Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments (PURE) project, the Blue Flag Awards and the Clean Coasts initiatives also involve litter clean-up actions.

These are in addition to the enforcement, clean-up and public awareness work undertaken by the local authorities. The total amount granted to local authorities by my Department for anti-litter and anti-graffiti awareness initiatives is in excess of €8.7 million since the Litter Pollution Act was introduced in 1997. I am satisfied that our response to Ireland's litter problem is achieving the desired result and my Department will continue to keep our anti-litter activities under constant review.