My Department has continued to work with the Local Government Management Agency to develop the business case for an enhanced enforcement structure to support the provision of improved co-ordination, expertise, and advice to underpin consistent implementation of air quality legislation across the country. I have made funding of up to €3m available to support this regional enforcement group and I expect the business case to be submitted formally to the sector for approval in the coming months.
In the absence of a co-ordination body, officials from my Department have been engaging directly with enforcement personnel on the ground, developing guidance and training, holding workshops, providing funding, and supporting the sharing of best practice in relation to a range of legislative obligations that are under the remit of the Local Authorities.
Delivering the enhanced enforcement model must be a priority for the sector in 2024, not just in terms of improving the health of the people Local Authorities serve, but in protecting compliant local businesses from unscrupulous actors seeking to gain commercial advantage through abuse of both environmental and tax laws. In the interim I will continue to make funding available to support specific enforcement programmes throughout 2024.
