Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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174. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of fines issued for dog fouling in each local authority area in the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [48805/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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175. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of fines issued for littering in each local authority area in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [48806/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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176. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of persons prosecuted for a littering or dumping infringement in each local authority area in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48807/21]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount collected in fines for dog fouling in each local authority area in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [48808/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 175, 176 and 177 together.

Enforcement actions against illegal waste and littering activity are a matter for local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA compiles comparative statistics on local authority performance relating to their waste and litter enforcement activity under the Recommended Criteria for Environmental Inspection (RMCEI) process. Their "Focus on Local Authority Environmental Enforcement - Activity Report 2019" was published in March of this year and is available on their website - www.epa.ie

Information is also available through the Local Government Management Agency's series of service indicators annual reports which are available at www.lgma.ie

The Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) Annual Report for 2019, available at www.werla.iealso contains useful data regarding actions taken by the wider local authority sector under the Waste Management Act.

My Department encourages a multi-facetted approach to tackling the problems of littering and illegal dumping, incorporating enforcement, public awareness and education and provides significant funding to support the activities of both the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) and the national network of local authority waste enforcement officers.

Questions in relation to the number of litter fines imposed, revenues raised through the imposition of litter fines for specific offences and prosecutions taken under the Litter Pollution and Waste Management Acts by individual local authorities can be directed towards those specific authorities.

Finally, to note that I propose to increase the fine applicable for littering offences and to introduce a new Fixed Penalty Notice applicable to illegal dumping under the Circular Economy Bill.