Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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1016. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the additional measures put in place to tackle illegal dumping in view of increased reports in recent weeks. [5468/20]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Enforcement actions against illegal waste activity are a matter for the Local Authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE) within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) have been conducting weekly surveys of local authorities to determine whether there is an overall increase in illegal waste activities to feed into the Local Authority Business Continuity Working Group, established on foot of the COVID-19 emergency. Information is also available through the OEE who monitor complaints made through the National Environmental Complaints Line and the "See it, Say it" app.

Since the introduction of the Anti-Dumping Initiative in 2017, funding of €6.3 million has been provided by my Department which has supported over 700 projects and removed 10,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste across the country. In this, we have been supported by community and voluntary groups, who have acted as a bulwark against the spread of this behaviour. It is of critical importance that these efforts are safeguarded and that the progress made in addressing this problem is maintained.

In this context, I have ring-fenced and prioritised the allocation of one million euro from the 2020 Anti-Dumping Initiative to combat illegal dumping activities associated with these challenging times and local authorities have been informed accordingly. Funding will be provided for monitoring and surveillance of dumping black-spots, removal of illegally deposited waste and any other measures that will prevent this activity and catch the perpetrators involved. 

It is important to note that Government has designated waste collection as an essential service and that measures taken by my Department, working in conjunction with industry and other regulatory authorities, has ensured the continued operation and availability of these services across all local authorities.