The appointment of litter wardens is a matter for individual local authorities within each authority's current authorised staffing level and is one in which I have no function. Any proposal by a local authority to create additional posts over and above this authorised level may be implemented if approved by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government; every request for such a sanction is considered on its merits.
In relation to funding, it is open to local authorities to utilise resources available from the local government fund, as well as other general sources of local authority funding, to intensify enforcement and education activity in relation to litter and waste management. In addition, I have allocated a total of almost £1 million to local authorities in the last three years for public education and awareness initiatives against litter and I intend to allocate further grants in the current year. My Department also provides financial support for the An Taisce-led project, National Spring Clean, aimed at raising public awareness and participation in local anti-litter clean-ups and awareness actions to improve the local environment; the project includes a central role for local authorities and will run again in 2000. In these circumstances, I have no proposals to introduce a new grant along the lines suggested by the Deputy.
Last December, the Minister Deputy Dempsey, and I announced details of a new, integrated national awareness campaign which encourages individual action and shared responsibility towards the environment. The campaign, The Environment, It's Easy to Make a Difference, is a major public information initiative which will continue during the course of this year and will address key environmental themes, including litter and waste, as well as water quality, water conservation, air quality and climate change.
Ultimately, primary responsibility for the development and implementation of management and enforcement responses to deal with the litter problem rests with local authorities under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997. I am satisfied that local authorities are extending their use of the enhanced powers available to them under the Act to combat litter. Statistical returns for the first half of 1999, the most recent national figures available, show further increases in the number of litter wardens employed, prosecutions taken and on-the-spot fines issued. These figures are available in the Library.
