Vol. 503 No. 6
28 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the investigation, if any, held into the level of compliance by local authorities in relation to their obligations under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997; and the conclusions of any investigation carried out. [10726/99]
Compliance with and enforcement of the provisions of the Litter Pollution Act, 1997 are matters for each local authority. With the co-operation of local authorities I am taking steps to ensure transparency in the operation of the Act at local level by improving the statistical information on enforcement made available to my Department by local authorities and introducing a new independent mechanism to monitor litter pollution and local authority action under the Litter Pollution Act.
With regard to enforcement, details of the individual local authority returns for the first half of 1998 and for 1997 are available in the Oireachtas Library. They reveal a significant increase in the numbers of litter wardens employed, prosecutions taken and on-the-spot fines imposed. Much more needs to be done. The figures for the second half of 1998 are currently being compiled and will be placed in the Library as soon as they are available. I have increased the frequency of these returns from an annual to a six monthly basis. In future, local authorities will also be asked to provide details of expenditure on litter pollution control and income from enforcement. This will assist in developing an accurate picture of the true cost to society of the irresponsible behaviour which the majority of us deplore.
I will shortly award a contract for the provision of a national litter pollution monitoring system to monitor and assess local authority litter management and enforcement action. The system will be overseen by a steering group representative of local authorities and my Department. I regard this as a very significant development in bringing greater transparency to the work of local authorities and assisting them in identifying models of good practice and innovative strategies to combat litter pollution. A key feature of the system will be the review of the litter management plans which local authorities are required to adopt under the Litter Pollution Act. These plans provide a crucial mechanism within which each local authority can identify the scale and nature of its litter pollution problem and set out responses tailored to local circumstances. The independent review of these plans will assist local authorities in making them as relevant, focused and effective as possible. In addition, the independent litter monitoring aspect of the new system will assist local authorities in identifying and targeting action at particular litter black spots.
While improved performance generally can be attributed to the flexible and extensive powers available to local authorities under the 1997 Act, there is a continuing need for more responsible behaviour by the public as well as rigorous enforcement of the law by local authorities. For this reason, my initiatives in support of litter pollution control address public education and awareness as well as performance on the enforcement of the Litter Pollution Act.
How many local authorities have adopted a litter management plan? How many are implementing a litter management plan and how many employ litter wardens?
The vast majority of local authorities have submitted and adopted litter management plans and have put them before their councils. I am certainly not satisfied with the approach to the unnecessary and expensive scourge of litter. It is unacceptable that in excess of £20 million per annum has to be spent by local authorities in combating litter. Litter is created at local level and must be resolved at local level. Some local authorities are very pro-active, although there is a lack of uniformity. I am endeavouring to ensure all local authorities carry out their function under the Litter Management Act.
There has been an improvement. In 1998, 199 litter wardens were employed, an increase from 131 in the first six months of 1997. We are making progress, but much more must be done. I am endeavouring at every opportunity to ensure local authorities carry out their function and enforce the law where necessary.
I pay tribute to An Taisce which has worked very closely with the Department of the Environment and Local Government and the private sector. National spring clean, which has been a tremendous success, is taking place this month. There are in excess of 1,500 projects throughout the country with community groups at local level working with local authorities in cleaning up areas. I and the Minister have travelled around the country and attended many such projects. It is very encouraging to see people participating at local level in such projects.
The issue is about enforcement, awareness and information. We are working very closely with the Department of Education and Science. ENFO, the information section of the Department of the Environment and Local Government, is regularly in contact with the Department of Education and Science about sending literature to schools throughout the country.
We are making progress, but have a long way to go. A culture cannot be changed overnight, but by working together we can make an impact. It is unsatisfactory that people repeatedly complain about litter. Tourists complain and say they cannot understand our ongoing litter problem in the context of the natural beauty of the country with which they are very impressed. The litter problem is unnecessary and we all have a role to play in solving it. I strongly appeal to local authority members to play their part in ensuring their litter management plans are being implemented. Some local authorities are very pro-active in this. It is very impressive when local authorities, from the manager down, take a genuine interest in this problem which is very costly. While progress is being made we have a long way to go and I look forward to the support of everybody in the House.
It is unsatisfactory for the Minister to say the vast majority of local authorities have litter management plans. How many local authorities have such plans? Does the Minister agree it is scandalous that almost two years after the passage of the Act there are still some local authorities which do not have a litter management plan? Does he agree that far too often when local authorities have a litter management plan and employ litter wardens we still see the place festooned with litter? Is the Minister aware that every time South Dublin County Council cuts the grass in the middle of the dual carriageway to Naas, we see more litter? Does the Minister agree that, having gone through a six month reporting and monitoring system, he now admits the system was unsatisfactory? What new measures does he intend to take to ensure local authorities live up to their obligations?
I am satisfied progress is being made. Local authorities employed 191 litter wardens in the first six months of 1998 and that was a significant improvement on the 138 employed in the second half of 1997. The number of prosecutions in the first six months of 1998 was 507 on the spot fines and 3,175 notices issued. That was an increase of 175 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively, on the figures for the second half of 1997.
The National Litter Monitoring Agency, which I will announce shortly, will conduct assessments at local level and identify blackspots. It will work closely with local authorities to identify their problems, and conduct an assessment and analysis of the situation nationally and report on it. Most local authorities have submitted management plans but we are unhappy with a few. This is an ongoing process and I will continue to work on this area to ensure local authorities are more proactive.
Will the Minister circulate the number and names of local authorities which do not yet have a litter management plan? Will he undertake to circulate the report made available by the monitoring system when it is in place?
The number of local authorities which to our knowledge have not yet submitted litter management plans is between five and seven.
Six is between five and seven.
We are in regular contact with local authorities on this matter. Some are not as active as others. We are pursuing them. The legislation does not give us the power to deal with them in the manner the Deputy proposes, but I am anxious to ensure local authorities fulfil their functions.
I met every county manager last year and pointed out to them their responsibilities under the Litter Management Act, that new local funding made available to them meant more resources should be diverted to litter management and that, where litter wardens are in place, the revenue they bring in means they are self-financing. Local authorities make the case that they do not have the finances for litter wardens. I do not accept that. It has been proven in other areas that litter wardens will be self-financing if they implement the law. Not alone do they provide revenue, they also fulfil their function.
There has been progress. We must acknowledge the local authorities that are fulfilling their functions and endeavouring to deal with the problem. Every citizen has a responsibility. There is no point in me blaming the next person or saying the Minister should give money to local authorities and let them deal with the problem. It will not be solved that way. It will be solved only by education, awareness and enforcement of the law. I will endeavour to ensure local authorities continue to give this area priority because of its concern to all Members.
