Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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398. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding provided to each local authority to tackle illegal dumping for 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20505/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Illegal dumping is a matter of individual responsibility and compliance with the law. While enforcement action in this area is a matter for local authorities, my Department encourages a multifaceted approach to tackling the problem, incorporating enforcement, public awareness and education. As such, it provides funding to support the activities of the waste enforcement regional lead authorities of approximately €1 million per annum and of the network of local authority waste enforcement officers of approximately €7.4 million per annum. Individual allocations under this measure are detailed in the table below.

In addition, my Department has developed the anti-dumping initiative to work in partnership with local authorities and community organisations in identifying high-risk or problem areas, developing appropriate enforcement responses, and carrying out clean-up operations. Since 2017, funding of €3.3 million has been made available in this regard, which has supported more than 400 projects in all 31 local authority areas, remediating blackspots, and equipping local authority enforcement officers with the latest technologies available to support enforcement of our waste laws. Details of the projects funded per local authority for 2017 and 2018 can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link:

I recently announced funding of €3 million for the 2019 Anti-Dumping Initiative, an increase of 50% on last year, to support communities around the country to continue to tackle illegal dumping. Innovation, surveillance using drones, special collections for awkward items like mattresses, spreading awareness among young people and recognising the work of volunteers will play a role in this year’s campaign. Applications for funding under this year’s initiative are currently being considered by each of the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authority Steering Committees and successful projects will be announced shortly.

FUNDING PROVIDED FOR WASTE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS