Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
346. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration will be given to allocate additional funding to recruit a sufficient number of new inspectors for water pollution as reported (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30988/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland’s Fifth Nitrates Action Programme, published in March 2022, commits to increasing Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine inspections of farms and to developing an enhanced local authority inspection and enforcement programme.
In order to achieve this the National Agricultural Inspection Programme has been established and funded by my Department. This inspection and enforcement programme, will be managed and coordinated by local authorities with guidance and oversight by the EPA.
My Department has been working with the City and County Managers Association (CCMA) to identify the existing local authority resources available to undertake agricultural inspections and follow-up enforcement. The CCMA has undertaken a review of resources for agricultural inspections and enforcement in each local authority to assess existing resources and skillsets, and to identify additional staffing resources required to deliver the target of over 4,000 inspections per year.
In 2022, prior to completion of the CCMA review my Department allocated funding of €600,000 across 10 local authorities to support the programme.
The CCMA review has identified that 57 additional staff are required. My Department has, as an initial step, allocated funding to 17 local authorities to recruit 21 additional inspection posts under the programme. This funding came from the existing departmental budget for 2023. Sanction for funding of additional posts will be examined with the context of the estimates process leading up to Budget 2024.
