Carlow receives one of lowest amounts of Government funding to tackle illegal dumping
Only ten counties received less funding
Carlow receives one of the lowest amounts of Government funding for waste enforcement officers to tackle illegal dumping, it has been revealed.
Mattie McGrath, TD asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for the funding provided to each local authority to tackle illegal dumping for 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019.
Minister Richard Bruton published figures of funding to each local authority for waste enforcement officers.
Of the 31 local authorities in Ireland, Carlow receives €165,000 - which was among the lowest with only ten counties receiving less.
The counties which received less funding were: Galway County Council (€72,000); Kerry County Council (€112,000); Kildare County Council (€121,000); Kilkenny County Council (€153,000); Laois County Council (€164,000); Leitrim County Council (€74,000); Louth County Council (€130,000); Mayo County Council (€156,000); Roscommon County Council (€136,000); South Dublin County Council (€130,000).
Minister Bruton said: "Illegal dumping is a matter of individual responsibility and compliance with the law.
"While enforcement action in this area is a matter for local authorities, my Department encourages a multifaceted approach to tackling the problem, incorporating enforcement, public awareness and education.
"As such, it provides funding to support the activities of the waste enforcement regional lead authorities of approximately €1 million per annum and of the network of local authority waste enforcement officers of approximately €7.4 million per annum. Individual allocations under this measure are detailed in the table below.
"In addition, my Department has developed the anti-dumping initiative to work in partnership with local authorities and community organisations in identifying high-risk or problem areas, developing appropriate enforcement responses, and carrying out clean-up operations.
"Since 2017, funding of €3.3 million has been made available in this regard, which has supported more than 400 projects in all 31 local authority areas, remediating blackspots, and equipping local authority enforcement officers with the latest technologies available to support enforcement of our waste laws."
He added: "I recently announced funding of €3 million for the 2019 Anti-Dumping Initiative, an increase of 50% on last year, to support communities around the country to continue to tackle illegal dumping.
"Innovation, surveillance using drones, special collections for awkward items like mattresses, spreading awareness among young people and recognising the work of volunteers will play a role in this year’s campaign.
"Applications for funding under this year’s initiative are currently being considered by each of the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authority Steering Committees and successful projects will be announced shortly."