asked the Minister for the Environment if he will indicate in respect of each local authority the number of legal cases which they initiated under various pieces of environmental protection legislation and water pollution legislation for the years 1986 and 1987; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Environmental Protection Legislation.
112.
In relation to water pollution, the following is the position regarding the number of legal cases, taken by local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977, in respect of the years 1986 and 1987.
|
Legal cases taken |
||
|
1986 |
1987 |
|
|
County Councils |
||
|
Carlow |
2 |
|
|
Cavan |
1 |
11 |
|
Clare |
1 |
|
|
Cork |
18 |
|
|
Donegal |
3 |
2 |
|
Dublin |
1 |
5 |
|
Galway |
2 |
5 |
|
Kerry |
7 |
20 |
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
4 |
|
Laois |
1 |
20 |
|
Limerick |
4 |
12 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
|
|
Meath |
8 |
16 |
|
Monaghan |
6 |
12 |
|
Offaly |
3 |
|
|
Roscommon |
4 |
|
|
Sligo |
3 |
4 |
|
Tipperary (NR) |
4 |
0 |
|
Tipperary (SR) |
2 |
2 |
|
Waterford |
2 |
4 |
|
Wexford |
17 |
|
|
Wicklow |
1 |
|
|
County Boroughs |
||
|
Dublin |
2 |
6 |
|
UDCs |
||
|
Fermoy |
2 |
|
|
Total |
53 |
167 |
The low number of prosecutions taken by local authorities is a relfection of the range of other powers available to them under the Water Pollution Act to deal with pollution and to ensure that it does not recur. In 1987 local authorities issued over 800 notices under section 12 of the Act requiring specified measures to be taken to prevent or control pollution of waters. In addition, authorities issued more than 4,000 advice/warning letters.
The significant increase in the number of legal cases taken in 1987 indicates a positive response by authorities to my request last year that they make full use of their powers to prosecute pollution offenders and to have remedial measure taken at the polluters' expense.
In so far as waste management legislation is concerned, the information requested by the Deputy is not available for the years 1986 and 1987, except for the Litter Act, 1982. The number of legal cases initiated by local authorities under that Act is as follows:
|
Legal cases taken |
||
|
1986 |
1987 |
|
|
County Councils |
||
|
Carlow |
1 |
|
|
Clare |
1 |
9 |
|
Cork |
1 |
3 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
|
|
Dublin |
48 |
98 |
|
Galway |
1 |
4 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
|
|
Kildare |
1 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
2 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
|
|
Louth |
1 |
|
|
Mayo |
2 |
3 |
|
Meath |
6 |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
2 |
1 |
|
Sligo |
6 |
|
|
Tipperary (NR) |
2 |
|
|
Waterford |
1 |
4 |
|
Wexford |
1 |
|
|
County Borough Corporations |
||
|
Cork |
20 |
40 |
|
Dublin |
92 |
25 |
|
Limerick |
5 |
4 |
|
Waterford |
2 |
|
|
Urban District Councils |
||
|
Ballina |
2 |
|
|
Ballinasloe |
2 |
|
|
Bray |
16 |
|
|
Drogheda |
5 |
9 |
|
Dún Laoghaire |
1 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
|
|
Navan |
1 |
|
|
Sligo |
9 |
|
|
Thurles |
1 |
|
|
Tralee |
1 |
|
|
Trim |
1 |
2 |
|
Total |
213 |
229 |
Note: These figures do not include the number of on-the-spot fines, of which there were 199 in 1986 and 684 in 1987.
In relation to air polution, there are no figures available in the Department for legal cases taken under legislation in 1986 and 1987.