Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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165. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the actions his Department has initiated to prevent littering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16065/23]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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166. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the efforts his Department is making to support local authorities in preventing littering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16066/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together.

Under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution lies with local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate public awareness, enforcement, and clean-up actions in relation to litter taking account of local circumstances and priorities.

My Department provides financial support to local authority efforts to tackle litter through the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme.  In 2022 €750,000 was provided under this Scheme and a similar amount is expected to be made available in 2023.

Funding is also provided annually in support of a number of important anti-litter initiatives such as the National Spring Clean, Picker Pals, the PURE Project and Irish Business against Litter.

The recently enacted Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act advances several legislative provisions which will further support Local Authorities in their anti-litter efforts, including providing for the GDPR-compliant use of a range of technologies, such as CCTV for litter enforcement purposes and an increase in the level of the on-the-spot fine for littering.