Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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468. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has examined the possibility of introducing a levy on graffiti spray cans and the amount a levy of 20c and 50c on a can would raise. [40668/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Litter Pollution Acts 1997 – 2009, provide significant powers to local authorities to deal with the defacement of structures by writing or other marks. In addition to the legislative provisions for penalties for committing graffiti related offences under section 19 of the Act and in order to provide support to local communities, my Department has provided funding for the 'Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme' whereby local authorities are invited to submit proposed eligible projects to combat graffiti in their functional areas. It is open to local community groups to approach the local authority for assistance with funding for anti-graffiti projects.

The Department of Justice & Equality also has a role in the control of graffiti through the Criminal Damage Act, 1991, which provides for the offences of damaging or defacing property.

The introduction of a levy on the purchase of spray paint to limit the availability of the product or discourage its inappropriate purchase could have an unfair impact on consumers who use the product for legally permitted purposes. Moreover, the administrative and regulatory burden arising from the introduction of such a levy – for the public sector, industry and consumers – might well be disproportionate to any potential gains.

My Department does not collect information in relation to the volume of sales of spray paint cans. I am not in a position therefore to estimate the potential revenue generated through the imposition of a levy although it would, of course, also depend on the extent to which any levy would be expected to affect consumer behaviour.