merrion street

€771,500 in grants available for community projects as 2019 Anti–Litter, Anti–Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme opens

Richard Bruton, T.D., Minister for the Communications, Climate Action and Environment, today (8^th July) announced funding for community projects to crack down on litter and graffiti in their area.

The Climate Action Plan to tackle climate breakdown, which was recently published by Minister Bruton commits government to managing waste more sustainably. 

Minister Bruton said,

We have seen across the country, the impact that local communities working together can have on the cleanliness and presentation of their local area. However, litter and graffiti carried out by the few can have a really negative effect on the whole community.  This scheme will give communities the resources to target these activities with focused projects and awareness campaigns.

€771,500 in grants is available and grants can cover a broad range of measures to raise public awareness and to stimulate anti-litter and anti-graffiti activity at local level - measures such as local community clean-ups, primary/secondary schools competitions, anti-litter/anti-graffiti materials, videos, posters, information leaflets, and anti-litter/anti-graffiti exhibitions are eligible for grant aid. Interested parties can apply to their local authority.

Minister Bruton further emphasized his particular concerns related to dog owners not cleaning up after their dogs saying,

similarly to last year, I will be requesting Local Authorities to include projects and initiatives particularly focused on increasing public awareness regarding the nuisance and public health issues associated with this anti-social practice.

Notes to editor

Criteria for Local Authorities in selecting Litter and Graffiti Awareness Projects

1. Projects/activities should seek to promote greater public awareness and education in relation to litter and graffiti, and should, as far as possible, have a particular focus on involving schools and young people in anti-litter and anti-graffiti action and on voluntary initiatives by community and environmental groups.
2. Grants should be used, where possible, to leverage local business co-funding of anti-litter and anti-graffiti education/awareness measures.
3. The maximum grant available in any individual case may be up to 70% of the overall cost of the project, with the balance being met by way of local contribution.
4. Where a Local Authority is not directly involved in a project, it must be fully satisfied that the project will be satisfactorily implemented.
5. Projects should be to a high standard and should aim at establishing or replicating best practice in relation to litter education/awareness measures.
6. Projects in receipt of monies under the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund are excluded for grant purposes.
7. Local Authority staff/plant costs and projects that involve substitute financing of existing programmes are excluded for grant purposes.