Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 December 2013
224. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he intends to adopt to tackle illegal dumping and general littering in the countryside; if he will reconsider ruling out a container-glass bottle deposit retention scheme; the measures he proposes in the areas of littering from moving vehicles and dog waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55069/13]
View answerI am aware of the problems caused by illegal dumping, which is first and foremost a matter of individual responsibility and compliance with the law. While enforcement action in this area is a matter in the first instance for local authorities, my Department has taken a number of actions to address the issue. In 2012, I introduced a once-off Litter Enforcement Grants Scheme, targeted specifically at the issue of fly-tipping and small-scale illegal dumping, encouraging local authorities to enhance their existing enforcement activities, through measures such as the purchase of CCTV equipment to allow for the effective monitoring of known litter black spots. I also launched, again in 2012, a national campaign in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency and supported by the print media, to highlight the economic value of our environment and encouraging the public to report all incidences of illegal dumping to the Agency's National Environmental Complaints hotline at 1850 365 121. Existing penalties, available under the Litter Pollution Acts for litter offences, range from an on-the-spot fine of €150, to a maximum fine of €3,000 on summary conviction and a maximum fine of €130,000 on conviction on indictment. The maximum fines for continuing offences are €600 per day for summary offences and €10,000 per day for indictable offences. A person convicted of a litter offence may also be required by the court to pay the local authority's costs and expenses in investigating the offence and bringing the prosecution. Penalties for more serious dumping offences provided for under the Waste Management Acts are also substantial. Persons who are found to be responsible for, or involved in, the unauthorised disposal of waste are liable to a maximum fine of €3,000 on summary conviction and/or imprisonment for up to 12 months, and to a maximum fine of €15 million on conviction on indictment and/or imprisonment for up to 10 years.
Finally, as part of the root-and-branch review of all aspects of the Producer Responsibility Initiative model in Ireland that I initiated in 2012, my Department published a report earlier this year on packaging in which the possibility of a packaging levy was considered. My Department also completed a consultation process with stakeholders on this issue. Following completion of the consultation process and the receipt of the consultants' report, I decided, after careful consideration, not to proceed with the introduction of a packaging levy at this time. The primary reason for my decision is that the introduction of a packaging levy is likely to generate a number of regulatory costs to business and the public sector with few identifiable benefits, given our very successful packaging recovery and recycling performance to date in Ireland. In addition, the consultants' report does not recommend the introduction of a Deposit and Refund scheme as to establish such a scheme is inappropriate, in view of the operation of the existing packaging scheme (Repak) and policies concerning household waste collection, plus the high administrative costs of introducing such a system.
The report is available on my Department's website and can be accessed at: http://www.environ.ie/en/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,34038,en.pdf.
