Hogan Announces €2.15m to tackle Litter and Graffiti
Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local
Government, today (13 April 2012) announced the provision of €2,150,000 in
grants to local authorities, €900,000 under the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti
Awareness Grant Scheme, for public education and awareness initiatives in
relation to both litter and graffiti, €750,000 for a new Litter Enforcement
Scheme, and a further €500,000 under the Tourist Season Anti-Litter Grant
Scheme (details attached).
These supports will help local authorities tackle the problem of litter
through awareness raising, enforcement and the maintenance of key tourist
areas,” commented the Minister.
The grants to city and county councils under the Awareness Scheme cover a
broad range of measures to raise public awareness and promote anti-litter
and anti-graffiti activity at local level. There is a particular focus on
involving schools, young people and voluntary initiatives by community
groups.
The new Litter Enforcement Scheme is intended to support the enforcement
activities of local authorities through such measures as the deployment of
mobile CCTV equipment to catch fly tippers and illegal dumpers.
The €500,000 provided under the Tourist Season Scheme is intended to
encourage local authorities to strive to ensure that key tourist
attractions are well presented during the peak summer season.
In announcing the provision for 2012, Minister Hogan acknowledged the role
being played by local authorities in tackling Ireland’s litter problem.
“Local authorities continue to contribute greatly to the ongoing decrease
in litter pollution across the country, working together with the
communities they serve. I want to assist councils in bringing those who
undermine this excellent work to account.”
He encouraged local authorities to continue to work with community groups
to tackle the litter and graffiti problems in their area: “The appearance
of our towns, cities and countryside is crucial to both social and economic
activity, and contributes significantly to the creation of jobs,” concluded
the Minister.
Appendix 1
2012 Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Schedule
County Council
2012
Allocations
Carlow
20,000
Cavan
20,000
Clare
24,000
Cork
35,000
Donegal
27,000
Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown
35,000
Fingal
35,000
Galway
27,000
Kerry
27,000
Kildare
24,000
Kilkenny
24,000
Laois
20,000
Leitrim
18,000
Limerick
27,000
Longford
18,000
Louth
24,000
Mayo
24,000
Meath
27,000
Monaghan
20,000
Offaly
20,000
Roscommon
20,000
Sligo
20,000
South County Dublin
35,000
South Tipperary
20,000
North Tipperary
20,000
Waterford
18,000
Westmeath
20,000
Wexford
27,000
Wicklow
24,000
City Council
Cork
35,000
Dublin
70,000
Galway
35,000
Limerick
30,000
Waterford
30,000
Total
€900,000
NOTE:
1. Allocations to city councils reflect the significant transient
population in these areas (tourists / students).
Appendix 2
2012 Tourist Season Anti-Litter Grant Schedule
County Council
2012
Allocations
Carlow
10,000
Cavan
10,000
Clare
15,000
Cork
20,000
Donegal
20,000
Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown
20,000
Fingal
20,000
Galway
20,000
Kerry
20,000
Kildare
20,000
Kilkenny
10,000
Laois
10,000
Leitrim
10,000
Limerick
15,000
Longford
10,000
Louth
15,000
Mayo
15,000
Meath
20,000
Monaghan
10,000
Offaly
10,000
Roscommon
10,000
Sligo
10,000
South County Dublin
20,000
South Tipperary
10,000
North Tipperary
10,000
Waterford
10,000
Westmeath
10,000
Wexford
15,000
Wicklow
15,000
City Council
Cork
20,000
Dublin
20,000
Galway
20,000
Limerick
15,000
Waterford
15,000
Total
€500,000
The Anti Litter and Anti Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
The Department has co-funded grants for local authority anti-litter
awareness and education initiatives, amounting to over €10.6 million since
1997. Local authorities are responsible for selecting suitable projects
for funding and deciding on individual grant allocations. The scheme
requires that projects selected should promote greater public awareness and
education in relation to litter, and since 2008, graffiti. They should
also, where possible, focus on voluntary initiatives by community and
environmental groups and involve schools and young people in anti-litter
and anti-graffiti action. Typically, eligible projects include local media
campaigns, clean-ups, primary/secondary school competitions, exhibitions
and the production of videos, posters and leaflets. The maximum grant for a
project may be up to 70% of the cost and the balance must be met by local
contributions.
The Tourist Season Anti Litter Grant Scheme
It is intended that this funding should be utilised by the local
authorities to assist in the clean up of key tourist destinations, such as
beaches and known scenic areas, approach roads to and from points of access
to the country, e.g. airports, ferry terminals, and the clean up of litter
in rural areas generally.
Litter Enforcement Grant Scheme
This aim of this new scheme is to assist local authorities in the
deployment of staff and the purchase of appropriate equipment to tackle the
problem of fly tipping and small scale illegal dumping in known problem
areas within local authority functional areas. The grant allocation is
intended to be a once-off measure to allow local authorities put in place
effective measures to deal with these litter related issues. Further
details of the scheme will be made available to local authorities shortly