Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2024
77. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an update on a local authority matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20177/24]
View answerUnder 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 2023 €750,000 was provided under this Scheme and a similar amount is being made available in 2024.
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.
National Spring Clean, operated by An Taisce, operate nationwide clean ups every year. My Department is providing €225,000 in funding this year. Bags and litter picking equipment are provided free of charge to volunteers who take part. Now in it's 25th year, An Taisce estimate that the volunteers with the campaign have removed 47,500 tonnes of litter to date. In 2023 5,450 clean up events took place and an estimated 2,750 tonnes of litter was collected of which 35% was recycled. Local authorities facilitate the disposal of the refuse collected by registered groups. This is done in different ways by different councils. Some pick up the waste directly, some pay for pickups by private companies, and some provide free access to landfill/recycling depots. In addition, Local Authorities also actively participate in promoting the campaign in their own areas by distributing leaflets, advertising in the local media and by holding their own clean-up events running over a number of days in designated towns and villages. Many authorities also provide extra materials for local groups.
The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, which was enacted in mid 2022, 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.
The introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans, which went live in February 2024, is expected to have a significant impact on the amount of litter produced. More information is available on the DRS operator’s website: www.re-turn.ie.
Finally, my officials are also working towards the introduction of a levy on single-use hot beverage cups, also known as the "Latte Levy", which will incentivise people to choose to re-use and reduce single use waste. This measure is also expected to result in a significant reduction in the amount of litter throughout the country.
