Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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243. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of local authorities who have used CCTV or similar technology in the detection and or prosecution of illegal dumping since the introduction of the circular economy bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25693/25]

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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244. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount spent by each local authority on cleaning up illegal dumping over the past three years; the amount spent for each of those three years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25694/25]

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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245. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount spent by each local authority on the purchase, rent or hire, of CCTV or similar technology to combat, detect and or prosecute illegal dumping over the past three years; the amount spent for each of those three years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25695/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 to 245, inclusive, together.

Under the Waste Management Act, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to illegal dumping lies with the local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate awareness, enforcement, clean-up and disposal actions in relation to illegal dumping, taking account of local circumstances and priorities. As such, my Department does not collate information on the methods employed or the amounts spent by individual local authorities on managing illegally dumped waste in their functional areas.

However, my Department provides extensive financial, policy and legislative support to the sector to deal with incidences of illegal dumping. Over €20 million has been provided to local authorities under the Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI) since it was launched in 2017, including almost €2.8 million in 2024, to encourage a collaborative approach between local authorities, community groups and other State Agencies to tackling the problem of illegal dumping. Funding provided under the ADI can be utilised by local authorities to purchase CCTV and other mobile recording equipment and to put in place enforcement measures involving the use of such equipment. A further €3 million has been allocated to local authorities under the ADI in 2025. It is a matter for the local authorities to apply for this funding through the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs), who administer the scheme on behalf of my Department.

Full details of the amounts provided to individual local authorities under the ADI for each of the years 2017 - 2024, including details of the specific projects supported by county, are available at the following link - www.gov.ie/en/publication/e27ac-anti-dumping-initiative/

My Department also continues to invest heavily in the local authority waste enforcement network through the Waste Enforcement Measures Grant Scheme with the intention of maintaining a visible presence of waste enforcement personnel on the ground across the State. €7.7 million has been allocated to local authorities under this scheme in 2025, while a further €4 million has been allocated to support the enhancement of the role, responsibilities and staffing complement of the three WERLAs and the ongoing development of the new Local Authority Waste Programme Coordination Office. My Department has agreed to support these measures in order to position the local authority sector to effectively respond to emerging and priority waste enforcement challenges, including tackling the scourge of illegal dumping.