Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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555. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to fund a scheme through an organisation (details supplied) for farmers to dispose of waste tyres correctly, similar to the scheme run in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12245/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In 2017, my Department made funding of €1 million available to local authorities to deal with the clean-up of existing stockpiles of tyres across the country. This was done to support the introduction of a new compliance scheme for tyres and waste tyres from 1 October 2017. At that time, it was also indicated that the issue of waste tyres on farms would be considered.

In 2018, €700,000 was made available to remove waste tyres from farms. Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG), the national farm plastics recycling compliance scheme, undertook the work on behalf of my Department. Four collection sites were chosen based on the fact that they represented a good geographical spread. The sites in question were Cootehill Mart, Co. Cavan, New Ross Mart, Co. Wexford, Athenry Mart, Co Galway and Gort Drum Mines, Monard, Co. Tipperary. In total 4,253 tonnes of tyres were collected and 2,229 farmers availed of the service. The budget for this initiative was fully expended in 2018.

Further actions during 2019 to address waste agriculture tyres are being considered in the context of the development of the compliance scheme for tyres and waste tyres.