Vol. 575 No. 4
80 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government when the new Office of Environmental Enforcement will be operational; the funding provided for the office in 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28434/03]
The Office of Environmental Enforcement, OEE, was launched on 22 October 2003, as a distinct and dedicated unit of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and has been operational since that date. Further information in relation to the OEE is available from the EPA, including from its website at www.epa.ieThe OEE will be funded in 2004 from the general provision for the EPA of €12.9 million announced in the Abridged Estimates Volume published on 13 November 2003, from income associated with relevant EPA licensing activities and from additional resourcing to be made available from the environment fund. Decisions on allocations from the fund in 2004 will be made as soon as possible.
