Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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643. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 597 of 23 June 2015, if he will provide a breakdown of the dispersal of the environment fund for the years 2012 to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26351/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The proceeds of the environmental levy on the supply of plastic bags, collected by the Revenue Commissioners, and the environmental levy on the landfilling of waste, collected by local authorities, are both paid into the Environment Fund. The Environment Fund was established by the Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2001 and came into effect from 17 July 2001, to be managed and controlled by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Funding from the Environment Fund can be used for environmental activities or initiatives across a range of areas including, inter alia:

- schemes to prevent/reduce waste and waste recovery activities;

- research and development into waste management;

- production, distribution or sale of products deemed to be less harmful to the environment than other similar products;

- development of producer initiatives to prevent/reduce waste arising from their activities;

- promotion of awareness of the need to protect the environment, including national and regional campaigns;

- promotion/support of education and training to assist achievement of campaign objectives;

- initiatives undertaken by community groups and others for protection of the environment;

- initiatives undertaken by international organisations and others for protection of the environment and/or sustainable development; and

- such other purposes for the protection of the environment as may be prescribed by the Minister in regulations.

Details of expenditure from the Environment Fund in 2012 and 2013 are contained in the published accounts, as audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. These Annual Accounts can be found on my Department's website at the following links:

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The 2014 Accounts are currently in preparation and will also be published on my Department's website once the audit process is completed.