Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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215. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the action he is taking to address the growing problem of littering and dumping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16574/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020, contained a range of additional actions designed to enhance existing waste enforcement activity. These include:

- an enhanced role for the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs);

- the development of an Anti-Dumping Toolkit for Local Authorities;

- the development of an illegal/unauthorised sites action plan to assist authorities;

- a deposit and return scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans;

- a new national communications and education programme;

- greater use of Fixed Penalty Notices.

- “data proofing” waste legislation to facilitate the use of available and emerging technologies in a manner which is GDPR compliant.

I intend to advance the latter two points via the forthcoming Circular Economy Bill.

These actions will build on existing measures to combat illegal dumping, such as the Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI). Last year €3m was allocated to local authorities in support of the ADI. This funding allowed over 300 projects to be carried out nationwide during 2020 including a national anti-dumping awareness communications campaign, "Your Country, Your Waste".

My Department also supports local authorities and the WERLAs through the annual Local Authority Waste Enforcement Measures Grant scheme which supports the recruitment and retention of over 150 dedicated local authority waste enforcement personnel. In 2020 my Department provided €1.1m and €7.6m to the WERLAs and local authorities respectively.