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Fuel Inspections

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2021

Wednesday, 15 December 2021

Ceisteanna (28, 29, 30, 31)

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

28. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of local authority staff who are undertaking inspections of premises and vehicles being used for the sale and distribution of solid fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62151/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

29. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of prosecutions that were made under the Air Pollution Act 1987 for breaches of the regulations in 2020 and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62152/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

30. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of fixed payment notices that were issued in 2020 and to date in 2021 for alleged offences relating to the marketing, sale and distribution of prohibited fuels in low smoke zones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62153/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

31. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of residential properties that have been reported to local authorities for the burning of smoky coal in 2020, by the local authority's functional area; the number of alleged offences that were investigated by local authority staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62154/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 to 31, inclusive, together.

Enforcement action against breaches of the Air Pollution Act (Marketing, Sale, Distribution and Burning of Specified Fuels) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 326 of 2012) is a matter for Local Authorities and my Department does not compile statistics in relation to prosecutions taken or fines imposed. Local Authorities report information to the Environmental Protection Agency annually regarding enforcement activities under environmental legislation. 

The number of Local Authority staff involved in air quality enforcement activities, such as undertaking inspections of premises and vehicles being used for the sale and distribution of solid fuel, is an operational matter for the individual Local Authorities themselves, and my Department has no direct role in this regard.

Further details of Local Authority enforcement of environmental legislation, including staffing levels, are available from the series of Local Authority Environmental Performance Assessment reports compiled by the EPA. These reports can be accessed at: www.epa.ie/our-services/compliance--enforcement/support-and-supervision-of-local-councils/la-performance/

The most recent report relates to 2019 enforcement activities, and the 2020 performance report will be published in the near future.

Question No. 29 answered with Question No. 28.
Question No. 30 answered with Question No. 28.
Question No. 31 answered with Question No. 28.
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