Written answers

Wednesday, 10 March 2021

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Local Authority Staff

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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153. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of litter wardens employed by each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12599/21]

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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155. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number and value of on-the-spot fines issued for littering in 2018, 2019 and 2020; the number of prosecutions and convictions in relation to same for the same periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12601/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 155 together.

The Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 provide the statutory framework to combat littering. Under the Acts, the primary management and enforcement response to littering is a matter for local authorities and each local authority must determine the most appropriate course of action to take to tackle litter pollution in their functional area, including staffing levels, public awareness, enforcement and clean-up actions, taking into account its own particular circumstances and priorities.

My Department does not hold statistics on the numbers of staff employed as litter wardens nor does it compile statistics on the number of prosecutions secured and convictions taken in relation to litter offences.

The EPA compiles comparative statistics on local authority performance relating to their litter enforcement activity under the Recommended Criteria for Environmental Inspection (RMCEI) process. Their most recent report in this regard is for the period 2018 and is available on their website at www.epa.ie. The 2019 report is due for publication shortly.

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