Donegal County Council confirms that we, in collaboration with a number of other agencies, have been and will continue to investigate and take action in relation to the matters raised in Monday evening’s RTE Investigates programme into the alleged non-compliance with waste legislation at the sites identified in the programme. We have requested from RTE footage and other records that may assist the Council in these investigations.
Donegal County Council has played a pivotal role in the establishment and operation of new regional and national structures to strengthen waste management and enforcement activities. Three new Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs); Southern WERLA, Eastern & Midlands WERLA and Connacht Ulster WERLA have been established. The work programmes for the three WERLAs are overseen by a National Waste Enforcement Steering Committee. The WERLAs have worked closely with Local Authorities to reinforce the regulation and management of waste within the state. The establishment of these new regional structures sends a strong signal to industry and has capacity to improve performance, consistency and coordination of enforcement across all stakeholders in this area.
Donegal County Council does not accept that the metric presented by the RTE Investigates programme relating to expenditure on waste regulation, enforcement and associated activities is representative of the work that Donegal County Council undertakes in this area. The Council deploys extensive resources in relation to the regulation and enforcement of waste management legislation, environmental awareness, management of recycling, supporting communities in relation to enhancing the environment etc. This commitment by Donegal County Council to its work in waste enforcement and associated areas is evidenced by the fact that the Council achieved the required ‘target’ grade for waste enforcement in the EPA’s publication ‘Focus on Local Authority Environmental Enforcement 2014 – 2016 Performance Report’.
Donegal County Council has recently secured funding approval from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to recruit additional staff in the area of Waste Enforcement. One of these positions has been filled and the recruitment process is underway for the remainder.
Donegal County Council reiterates that we are fully committed to enforcing the regulation and management of waste to ensure we continue to live in healthy communities and protection is afforded to our environment.
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