Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the efforts to promote tourism with the Gathering Ireland 2013, the extra efforts that he will make to encourage and assist communities and local authorities to clean up and enhance their areas to ensure that small villages, towns and country roads are litter free, clean and presentable to improve Ireland's image amongst the tourists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29029/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In April 2012, I announced the provision of €2,150,000 in grant funding in 2012, to assist local authorities in their efforts to tackle the problem of litter through awareness raising, enforcement and the maintenance of key tourist areas across the country. €900,000 was made available under the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme, €750,000 under a new Litter Enforcement Grant Scheme, and a further €500,000 under the Tourist Season Anti-Litter Grant Scheme.

The grants to local authorities under the Awareness Grant Scheme cover a broad range of measures to raise public awareness and promote anti-litter and anti-graffiti activity at local level. There is a particular focus on involving schools, young people and voluntary initiatives by community groups. The new Litter Enforcement Grant Scheme is intended to support the enforcement activities of local authorities through measures such as the deployment of mobile CCTV equipment to catch fly tippers and illegal dumpers. The €500,000 provided under the Tourist Season Scheme is intended to encourage local authorities to ensure that key tourist attractions are well presented during the peak summer season.

My Department also continues to provide support to a number of other anti-litter initiatives, including the Tidy Towns Competition, in which there are two new Special Awards of particular interest this year - the Fáilte Ireland Tidy Tourism Town Award of €10,000 and the Gum Litter Task Force Award of €5,000. Other initiatives of relevance include the National Spring Clean, the Irish Business against Litter (IBAL) Litter League, the Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments (PURE) project and the Green Schools Programme. In addition, I will shortly be launching a national anti-litter awareness campaign targeting fly tipping and small scale illegal dumping.

Funding arrangements in respect of these grant schemes and anti-litter initiatives for 2013 have yet to be finalised, but will be considered in the context of available resources and the performance of existing schemes.

In addition, Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013, which is currently being implemented on my Department's behalf by 35 Local Action Groups, aims to improve the quality of life in rural areas and promote the diversification of the rural economy. Over €300m in funding will be available through my Department for the delivery of the Programme over the current programming period. In the context of support for rural communities, funding can be provided for the upgrade, maintenance and development of community areas and amenities in eligible towns and villages. A large number of Tidy-Towns initiatives have already received funding from the LEADER elements of the RDP since it commenced in 2009.