Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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914. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the steps being taken at national and local authority level to address the problem of graffiti in certain locations; if he will provide details of any funding ringfenced to deal with the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37740/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I am well aware of the major blight on communities caused by graffiti. Management and enforcement responses to litter problems, including defacement by graffiti, are a primary responsibility of each local authority. The Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 provide the legislative framework to tackle these problems. Sections 19 and 20 of the 1997 Act empower local authorities to take action in relation to graffiti and, as necessary, to remove or otherwise remedy the defacement.

Each local authority must determine the level of expenditure on individual local services as part of its annual estimates process and prioritise its resources accordingly. In order to support local authority efforts to tackle graffiti, my Department provides funding under the anti-litter and anti-graffiti awareness grant scheme aimed at encouraging long-term behavioural change by individuals. I made a total of €900,000 available to fund suitable projects under the scheme in 2013.