Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group

staff working in the areas of waste management, refuse collection,
recycling, environmental awareness, enforcement and litter pollution in local
government in April 2010 was some 3,500, accounting for more than one in
ten of all local authority staff.
10.5.4 Of the €482 million expenditure in this area, some €153 million is required
for landfill operation and aftercare. It should be noted that as a condition of
landfill licences issued by the EPA and in compliance with the Waste
Management Act, provision by way of funding must be made by landfill
licensees for the remediation and aftercare of such facilities. A further €41
million is budgeted for the provision and operation of recycling facilities
which are critical to Ireland meeting its EU obligations in relation to recycling
targets.
10.5.5 The second most substantial expenditure is in support of the provision of
waste collection services at €132 million, but this is also the area with the
greatest income at approximately €120 million. Local authorities, acting
generally in regional configurations are responsible for waste management
planning and some €7 million is allotted to support this statutory duty. The
role of local authorities in relation to both of these areas is currently being
reviewed as part of the review of waste management policy.
10.5.6 Some €26.5 million is budgeted for the discharge of local authorities’
statutory obligations for the management of litter, with a further €96 million
provided for street cleaning. Local authorities have statutory responsibility
for the enforcement and permitting of a range of waste management
legislation. Therefore, approximately €28 million is allocated to discharge
these responsibilities and as is outlined below, this is an area which has
been identified as having the potential for some degree of rationalisation
and savings delivery.
10.5.7 One option to improve efficiencies in this area is to consolidate waste
enforcement activities on a regional or national basis. Local authorities
have a positive experience of achieving savings in this area on a lead
authority basis, in particular through the consolidation of the administration
of transfrontier waste shipment rules into a single national competent
authority run through Dublin City Council, which allowed for an overall
reduction in the number of staff assigned to this area. It is further proposed
to consolidate the system of control for internal movement of hazardous
waste within Ireland into the national office within Dublin City Council during
2010/2011. This will yield a projected cost saving nationally of just under €1
million, and free up a number of local authority staff to deal with other
waste-related regulatory demands.
10.5.8 Another measure to reduce costs would be to remove the waste collection
permitting role from local authorities. This could potentially yield an overall
saving if consolidated into a single body. Alternatively, greater use could be
made of the Regional Waste Management Offices’ expertise to coordinate
permitting issues. Initiatives in this area, taken together with a continuation
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