In 2017, I made available funding of €1m to local authorities to deal with the clean-up of existing stockpiles of tyres across the country. I did this to support the introduction of a new compliance scheme for tyres and waste tyres from 1 October 2017. At that time, I also indicated that I would look at the issue of tyres on farms. I followed through on that commitment by recently making €700,000 available to remove tyres from farms.
Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG), the national farm plastics recycling compliance scheme, has agreed to undertake the removal of tyres from farms through 4 bring centres around the country. The collections, which were chosen because they represent a good geographical spread, began on Saturday 29th September at Cootehill Mart, Co. Cavan. Collections will also take place in New Ross Mart, Co. Wexford on Tuesday 9th October, Athenry Mart, Co Galway on Saturday 13th October and Gort Drum Mines, Monard, Co. Tipperary on Saturday 20th October next.
My officials will examine the possibility of extending the bring centre sites outside the four locations identified only after all collection days have been completed.