Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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387. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the efforts he is making to recover the landfill levies of €4,627,565 due to the Environment Fund account that were not paid to the relevant local authorities, including where private sector operators of landfill sites entered into receivership; the funds he expects to recover on behalf of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6515/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The requirement to make payment of landfill levy is provided for in the Waste Management (Landfill Levy) Regulations 2011. Under these Regulations, it is a matter for the relevant local authority to collect the levy as prescribed. The Regulations also provide for the local authority to recover any levy which is due and payable as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Notwithstanding the above, my Department keeps track of payments due and received into the Environment Fund from both landfill levies and the levies from the sales of plastic bags, and receives returns from local authorities on a monthly basis. Where there are levies outstanding, my Department urges local authorities to take appropriate and cost-effective steps to collect all revenue due to it in order to maximise the revenue into the Environment Fund.