Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
225. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department has engaged with local authorities on the use of CCTV, drones and other technologies to catch those engaged in illegal dumping; the supports he has put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16082/26]
View answerUnder the Waste Management Act, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to illegal dumping lies with the local authorities. It is an operational matter for each individual local authority to determine the most appropriate enforcement responses to incidents of illegal dumping, including the use of CCTV and other technologies, while taking account of local circumstances and priorities.
While the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to illegal dumping, including any decision to deploy CCTV or other technologies, lies with local authorities, the Department continues to engage with the local authority sector and provides extensive financial, policy and legislative support to support their enforcement efforts.
The Department has provided €23 million to local authorities under the Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI) since it was launched in 2017, including €2.89 million in 2025, to encourage a collaborative approach between local authorities, community groups and other State Agencies to tackling the problem of illegal dumping. Funding provided under the ADI can be utilised by local authorities to purchase CCTV and other Audio-Visual Recording (AVR) Equipment and to put in place enforcement measures involving the use of such equipment. A further €3 million will be allocated in support of the ADI in 2026. It is a matter for local authorities to apply for this funding through the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs), who administer the scheme on behalf of the Department. Full details of projects supported and the amounts provided to local authorities under the ADI are available on the gov.ie website.
My Department also continues to invest heavily in the local authority waste enforcement network through the Local Authority Waste Enforcement Measures Grant Scheme. Since this scheme was established in 2003, almost €160 million has been provided to local authorities by the Department in order to support the ongoing recruitment and retention of a network of waste enforcement staff across the country. A further €7.7 million has been allocated under this scheme in 2026.
