Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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75. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the action he is undertaking to address the high level of litter across the State (details supplied). [37626/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The primary role of my Department in relation to litter is to provide a robust legislative framework. The key legislation in this regard is the Litter Pollution Act 1997 to 2009. Under the Act, the primary management and enforcement responsibility rests with the Local Authorities.

  As Minister, I recognise the challenges presented by littering and I believe that a multi-facetted approach is required, incorporating effective enforcement, public awareness and education. Raising awareness of the litter problem and educating the young people of this country is key to affecting a long term change in society’s attitudes towards litter disposal. In this context, my Department supports a number of national anti-litter initiatives including the Local Authority Anti-Litter Awareness Grants, the National Spring Clean Campaign, the Green Schools Programme, the Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments (PURE) Project, the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) – Litter League, and negotiated agreements with the banking and chewing gum industries.

Although I am pleased that consecutive annual National Litter Pollution Monitoring System Reports have shown that the litter situation is generally improving across the country in recent years, I am concerned that the fines for offences currently in place under the Litter Pollution Acts, particularly for "on-the-spot" fines, do not serve as a sufficient deterrent. That is why I propose to increase substantially the penalty for on-the-spot offences bringing the current fine of €150 to €250. I am also supporting the overall intent of the private members Litter Pollution (Amendment) Bill 2017, while recognising that some amendments will be required.

I was of course concerned at the findings of the inaugural IBAL/An Taisce survey of coastlines and waterways. The issue of marine pollution, particularly in relation to plastics, is an increasing priority for me and the EU.  I have welcomed the recently published EU proposal on single use plastic products found on Europe’s beaches and seas, as well as lost and abandoned fishing gear, which together account for 70% of all marine litter.