Mr. Alan Kelly, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government today (29 January 2016) announced a total of €1.09 million in allocations from the Environment Fund under two environmental grant schemes in 2016:
€690,000 to the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme, and
€400,000 to the Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Environmental Partnership Fund.
The Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme (ALAGS) provides funding to local authorities to conduct public awareness and education initiatives at a local level in respect of both litter and graffiti. Each local authority is responsible for selecting suitable anti-litter awareness projects for funding and deciding on the grant allocations in their area. Projects/activities should seek to promote greater public awareness and education in relation to litter and graffiti. The Minister has allocated €690,000 in grants from the Environment Fund to local authorities under ALAGS for 2016, bringing the total grants provided under this scheme since 1997 to €13.8m.
In relation to the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme, the Minister praised the sustained and innovative contribution that local communities have made in recent years to the continued decrease in litter pollution across the country. “It’s very important to provide support at local level for the dedicated efforts of local communities by providing financial support to raise awareness of and combat litter and graffiti issues within local areas. I am confident that this funding will continue to encourage local participation in anti-litter efforts, and will further drive out this unsightly eyesore from our cities, towns and villages.”
Operating since 1997, the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund (LA21) supports local environmental initiatives by communities, individuals and not-for-profit groups. The Minister has approved the overall allocation of funding of €400,000 to this year’s LA21 scheme, and his Department will follow up in the usual manner with Local Authorities, which will in turn initiate a call for applications for funding. It is worth noting that local authorities will provide matching funding of €400,000 and there will also be a significant contribution from private sources. Total funding leveraged through the LA21 Scheme in 2015 when all three funding sources were combined was in excess of €1.4m, which demonstrates the added value of the LA21 Scheme.
In approving the overall allocation to the LA21 Scheme, Minister Kelly highlighted the impact that grant-supported projects can have at local level. “Local Groups around the country take great pride in their areas and, with a great spirit of volunteerism, can make a huge impact when resources are made available. These two grant schemes, LA21 and the Anti-litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme, are targeted at providing funding for local projects to help improve their own immediate environments and make our communities more sustainable and environmentally responsible. I am delighted to allocate this funding which will help realise the potential that local groups have in protecting and improving our natural and built environments, which gives pride throughout the communities of Ireland, particularly in this, the centenary year of the Rising.”
ENDS
Appendix 1
2016 Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Schedule
Local Authority Name Grant Allocation (€)
Carlow County Council 15000
Cavan County Council 15000
Clare County Council 18000
Cork City Council 28000
Cork County Council 28000
Donegal County Council 20000
Dun Laoire/Rathdown 28000
South Dublin County Council 28000
Fingal County Council 28000
Dublin City Council 56000
Galway City Council 28000
Galway County Council 20000
Kerry County Council 20000
Kildare County Council 18000
Kilkenny County Council 18000
Laois County Council 15000
Leitrim County Council 12500
Limerick City & County Council 40000
Longford County Council 12500
Louth County Council 18000
Mayo County Council 18000
Meath County Council 20000
Monaghan County Council 15000
Offaly County Council 15000
Roscommon County Council 15000
Sligo County Council 15000
Tipperary County Council 33000
Waterford City & County Council 38000
Westmeath County Council 15000
Wexford County Council 22000
Wicklow County Council 18000
TOTAL 690000
Local Agenda 21/Local Environment Partnership Fund Grant Allocations 2016
County 2016 Allocation
€
Dublin City 29,250
Cork 29,250
Fingal 17,500
South Dublin 17,500
Kildare 16,000
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown 16,000
Limerick 15,700
Meath 15,700
Galway 15,700
Tipperary 15,700
Donegal 15,700
Kerry 12,000
Wexford 12,000
Wicklow 12,000
Mayo 12,000
Louth 11,000
Cork City 11,000
Clare 11,000
Waterford 11,000
Kilkenny 9,500
Westmeath 9,500
Laois 9,500
Offaly 9,500
Galway City 9,500
Cavan 8,500
Sligo County 8,500
Roscommon 8,500
Monaghan 8,500
Carlow 8,500
Longford 7,000
Leitrim 7,000
Total €400,000