My Department reviews the effectiveness of the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2003 on an ongoing basis. Local authorities submit data to my Department every six months on their anti-litter enforcement actions under the Acts. These statistics are available in the Oireachtas Library and show that local authority performance on enforcement of the litter laws is being sustained at a high level.
Furthermore, the trends emerging from the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System, which measures the extent and severity of litter pollution nationwide, are generally positive and show a modest but steady reduction in litter levels.
I am deeply committed to tackling Ireland's litter problem and view litter eradication as an environmental priority. In order to send out a clear message to all members of society that litter pollution simply cannot be tolerated, I am increasing the on-the-spot litter fine from €125 to €150 from this Sunday, 30 September.
While I am satisfied that the current litter pollution legislation empowers local authorities to respond appropriately to the problem of litter, my Department will continue to keep it under review.