Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 March 2023
59. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the level of enforcement notices and prosecutions as reported to the agency by local authorities in each of the years 2018 to 2022, and to date in 2023 under the updated Solid Fuel Regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14056/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra60. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the maximum fine administered for breaches under the Air Pollution Act 1987 (Solid Fuels) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 529 of 2022); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14057/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not compile or maintain statistics in relation to the levels of enforcement actions by Local Authorities under the Solid Fuels Regulations. Local Authorities report this information as part of their enforcement activities under environmental legislation to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on an annual basis.
Details of Local Authority environmental enforcement are available from the series of Local Authority Environmental Performance Assessment reports compiled by the EPA. These reports can be accessed at: https://www.epa.ie/our-services/compliance--enforcement/support-and-supervision-of-local-councils/la-performance/
Further questions in this regard may be addressed directly to the EPA or to individual Local Authorities.
Prosecutions under the Solid Fuel Regulations are brought in accordance with the Air Pollution Act, 1987 which provides for fines of up to €5,000 on summary conviction. It should be noted, however, that the Solid Fuel Regulations do not prescribe any specific fine for any particular offence, and that the imposition and extent of any fine would be a matter for the Courts to determine.
