Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 37: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the latest litter report by An Taisce on behalf of Irish Business Against Litter and its findings and the concerns expressed by IBAL regarding the impact of cutbacks by local authorities in weekend cleaning particularly at beaches; if his attention has further been drawn to reports of piles up of uncollected litter at beaches here over the June bank holiday weekend; the steps he will take to ensure that litter is collected by local authorities countrywide at the weekend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25055/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My Department co-funds the Irish Business Against Litter National Litter League. €84,000 has been allocated in support of the initiative in 2009. A welcome and positive outcome has been achieved in the first round of results for 2009, with 68% of the 60 towns and cities surveyed across the country achieving the highest grade possible, "Clean to European Norms". This represents the best results achieved since the foundation of the League in 2002, when the percentage achieving the highest grade was just 14%. The improvement is due, in no small part, to the excellent work being carried out by local authorities, in conjunction with local business and community groups, right across the country.

Under statute, the primary response to litter is a matter for local authorities. My Department's role is to provide the legislative framework for combating litter pollution, and to motivate and energise anti-litter responses as necessary. It is the responsibility of each local authority to enforce the litter laws and to determine the most appropriate course of action to tackle litter pollution within the relevant legislation.

People must also accept responsibility for their own behaviour which impacts on the environment, and it is regrettable that large volumes of litter were left on certain beaches over the June Bank Holiday weekend. It is a matter for each local authority, within the framework of its own litter management plan, to determine the appropriate response to littering within its functional area. While resources must be prioritised and effectively targeted within the overall economic constraints that apply to all public expenditure, I am satisfied that local authorities have adequate resources to address priority servicing needs and maintain key amenities for public and tourism use.