asked the Minister for the Environment the number of prosecutions that have been issued under the Litter Act, 1982; the total amount of monies involved; the number of litter wardens employed by Dublin Corporation and in the rest of the country; and if he will give an undertaking to direct local authorities to take more decisive action to implement the Act which has been in operation for almost a year.
Written Answers. - Litter Act Prosecutions.
657.
The Litter Act, 1982, came into operation on 1 August 1982. Prosecutions under the Act are a matter for local authorities. My Department do not at present have details of the number of such prosecutions or the amounts of fines involved but will shortly be asking local authorities for this information in respect of the Act's first year of operation. The employment of litter wardens is also a matter for local authorities and particulars of the number of wardens now employed throughout the country are not available in my Department. I understand, however, that Dublin Corporation employ eight wardens.
I have requested local authorities on several occasions to implement fully the provisions of the Litter Act, 1982, which has strengthened and extended their powers to deal with litter and related matters and I intend to continue to press for an intensification of effort by the authorities.