Minister for Environment Denis Naughten is doubling the €650,000 announced in March to crack down on the growing scourge of illegal dumping.
The provision of extra funding to support the implementation of a second phase of the initiative comes on the back of a huge response from local authorities and communities to the initial call for applications.
Minister Naughten launched a major anti-illegal dumping initiative (ADI) in March and the second phase of the initiative will come into immediate effect.
The department says the extra funding is due to “unprecedented demand” and will include the use of covert surveillance and smart technology – such as aerial imagery from drones and satellites, as well as the installation of CCTV cameras.
Commenting on the announcement, Minister Naughten said “the battle is well and truly on to catch and prosecute those who are committing environmental and economic treason by dumping waste illegally across our countryside, roads and rivers.”
“Our communities are standing as one to say enough. Our river-ways, mountainsides, towns and villages are to be used no longer as the dumping grounds for those amongst us who have no respect for their environment or their neighbours.”
“I have doubled the initial allocation of €650,000 to support a new round of applications with total funding now standing at €1.3 million to clean-up dumping black-spots and to target those responsible using SMART technology including drone surveillance,” added Minister Naughten.
“I am honouring the commitment that I made when launching this programme in March to find the extra funds should they be required to support more strategic, community led anti-dumping projects provided that the applications submitted were of the requisite quality in terms of remediating problem areas and developing effective deterrents.”
85 projects have been approved for funding, under the first phase of the ADI, from every county in the State, out of a total of 111 applications.
Successful applications have included projects that will equip authorities with the latest high-tech enforcement technologies including overt and covert surveillance equipment and drone technology to target dumpers.
