Noel Dempsey
Question:13 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment the number of convictions for litter offences in 1995 and 1996; and if he is satisfied with enforcement in relation to litter. [5209/97]
Other Questions. - Litter Offences.
In 1996, there were 113 convictions out of a total of 250 prosecutions for offences under the Litter Act, 1982. In 1995, there were 136 convictions out of a total of 241 prosecutions brought by local authorities. There was a significant increase between 1995 and 1996 in the number of on-the-spot fines issued by local authorities, which increased from 648 in 1995 to 1,108 in 1996.
Enforcement against offenders will be greatly facilitated by the expanded range of powers provided by the Litter Pollution Bill which is now at Committee Stage. The Bill will enable local authorities to take more extensive and effective measures to prevent and control litter, as well as action against offenders. In future, local authorities will also be able to retain the proceeds from fines imposed by the courts, as well as recover the costs incurred in the investigation, detection and prosecution of offences. Powers to issue on-the-spot fines will be extended to the Garda.
I am therefore confident that enactment of the Litter Pollution Bill will bring more active and effective enforcement of litter legislation. I would emphasise, however, that litter prevention and control must also be based on other foundations. The Action Against Litter initiative contains four key elements: improving local authority performance, both in relation to enforcement and service provision; reforming and updating the legislation; promoting public awareness and education; and developing partnerships with commercial and voluntary interests.
Action Against Litter will continue to target improvements under all of these headings.
Does the Minister agree the £400,000 expended last year on his Action Against Litter initiative was poorly spent as the number of convictions in 1996 was lower than in 1995? Does he also agree that his strategy is well off the mark in regard to education and that the £325,000 spent on a multi-media campaign does not appear to have had much effect when a recent Irish Business Against Litter survey found that only 10 per cent of participants believed the litter laws are being enforced? Does he agree that until such time as he gives funding to local authorities to employ litter wardens, this dismal record will not improve?
I do not believe the record is dismal.
There were only 113 convictions.
On-the-spot fines increased from 648 to 1,108. I am not complacent about the litter problem. It is a serious environmental issue that must be resolved. There are no easy solutions to the problem. Changing the attitude of the public will not be easy.
In terms of the expenditure of moneys, the campaign was effective. We have given every child in primary and second level schools an education pack developed by teacher centres in Dublin. We are starting with a focus on the young because some adults are beyond redemption in this regard. A total of 40 local authorities have completed their litter abatement plans and I hope the rest will be completed by the end of the year. We have had a debate on the Litter Pollution Bill, the next tranche of legislation to update the existing Act. The awareness and education campaigns, the discussions I have had with local authorities and the increase in enforcement of the laws will bite at this thorny problem, but I am under no illusion that it can be resolved in a matter of days or weeks. Fundamental psychological changes are necessary.
Does the Minister agree that as long as he pussyfoots around the problem by spending money on education campaigns and not enforcing the law, we are wasting money? Does the litter problem cost £20 million per annum? As long as we continue to adopt the softly softly approach as is pursued by the local authorities we will not solve the problem. If the Minister does not believe 113 convictions out of 250 prosecutions is dismal, I do not know what type of progress he expects to make in solving our litter problem in the coming years. The sooner the better the Minister recognises that the Government's record in this regard is dismal. He should give local authorities the necessary back up to tackle the problem. The lead must come from the top, not PR campaigns. We must encourage enforcement of the law. Unless the Minister is willing to use the stick more than the carrot to deal with this problem, it will not be resolved.
There is some merit in the Deputy's suggestion. The ideal would be to have no convictions, no prosecutions and no litter. That is the utopia towards which we should work. When one considers the state of some of our cities, towns and villages, we have a long way to go. I accept litter is a major environmental issue and have put in place an action plan to deal with the problem. I am pleased to note the Department of the Environment in Britain recently launched a campaign entitled Taking Action Against Litter. Enforcement is a difficult problem. The chairpersons and managers of local authorities have told me it is difficult to enforce the law. It is not like illegal parking where the number of the car can be taken and the person concerned prosecuted. It is difficult to catch somebody throwing litter on the streets. We must work out how that can be done and that is why I am introducing new legislation. I am not adopting a softly softly approach to the matter. It is not a question of merely enforcing the law, we must change attitudes. A great deal of litter is thrown on our streets between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. and it is not possible for litter wardens to patrol streets during those hours.
If the Minister wants to get rid of rubbish in my constituency or in Dublin city, he should give local authorities the resources to send people out at weekends when people dump litter at various points. Occasionally when we persuade the local authority to go to a certain area at the weekend, we are successful. Will the Minister consider giving local authorities extra resources for a specific period to send people out to stop people dumping rubbish?
In deference to the wishes of both Opposition parties that the Government would not expend more money, I asked local authorities to recorder their priorities and to make the fight against litter a priority within the resources provided. I hope that will be done to support their litter abatement strategies. We will also take legislative action under the Litter Pollution Bill, 1996, which will be dealt with by the Select Committee tomorrow. We will make the owners of fast food outlets, one of the greatest generators of litter, responsible for the vicinity within 100 metres of their premises. We can take other such action which will not pass the burden to local authorities but to those who should carry it, the polluter. We can make a great deal of progress on the "polluter pays" principle. These elements combined will bring about the change everybody in this House requires.
I accept there is no simple solution to the litter problem. Does the Minister accept that two major components of litter are drink cans and plastic bags? In his drive to reduce the amount of litter, has he had discussions with the manufacturers of drink cans or retail outlets which might offer a monetary incentive to people to return cans to shops?
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
The question before us concerns convictions and enforcement of litter legislation.
As I am on my feet, I will finish my question. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle was right to reprimand me.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
I was merely reminding the Deputy.
It happened twice today and I deserved it on both occasions. Has the Minister spoken to those concerned with a view to eliminating this problem?
I do not have the data with me, but a survey of the components of litter was carried out last year. The Deputy is right in that the two articles she mentioned are largely represented in litter. I had discussions with the plastics industry generally but not yet with aluminium can manufacturers. As regards the recycling initiatives taken, we have tried to ensure as far as possible there is an incentive for people to return aluminium cans for recycling. The Deputy knows my view on plastic bags and I look forward to the day they are banned.