Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group

Financial Summary:
Through a combination of savings and cost recovery measures a total of €38 million
can be achieved based on the following items
1. An increase in planning fees to secure greater cost recovery – €30 million
(€15 million in the short term, rising to €30 million after 5 years)
2. An accelerated move towards e-planning and completion of a business
process re-engineering exercise leading to reduction in transaction costs,
together with a reduction in the number of planning staff by 10% – €15 million
in the medium term (once the majority of planning applications are received
and processed by means of e-planning processes) (of this amount, €7 million
has already been accounted for in the section on staffing)
Total Amount: €38 million
10.5 Waste
10.5.1 County and city councils play the primary role in waste management at local
level, although many town councils play a specific role in areas such as litter
management.
10.5.2 The responsibilities of local authorities in the waste area include:
• Waste management planning (usually operating in regional groupings);
• Waste prevention and minimisation initiatives;
• Recycling facilities and civic amenity sites;
• Operation of waste management facilities;
• Issuing of waste facility permits and waste collection permits;
• Refuse collection (a minority of local authorities only);
• Handling registrations or notifications under various producerresponsibility
waste schemes (such as for packaging waste, electrical
and electronic waste, waste batteries, and end-of-life vehicles);
• Litter pollution control;
• Environmental enforcement; and
• Environmental education and awareness initiatives.
10.5.3 The total budgeted expenditure for waste management services in 2010 by
local authorities is €482 million, which includes the operation and aftercare
of residual waste facilities whether operated directly by local authorities or
by way of contract (e.g. landfill), waste collection services, street cleaning,
the provision and operation of recycling facilities, litter management and the
discharge of statutory duties including enforcement of waste management
legislation. Costs in this area are largely driven by EU and national
regulatory requirements and legacy costs, for example associated with
landfill remediation. According to figures collected by the Department of the
Environment, Heritage and Local Government, in early 2010 the number of
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