COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE/FIRHOUSE/BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

MOTION NO. 7

MOTION: Councillor Alan Edge

That this Committee write to the Minister of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to ask that departmental funding for Pure Mile is secured in the longer term rather than on a one-year rolling basis to enable the continuance of this vital service.

 

REPORT:

The PURE (Protecting the Uplands & Rural Environment) project was established in 2006 to combat illegal dumping/fly-tipping in the Dublin/Wicklow Uplands. The project consists of statutory and non-statutory stakeholders (South Dublin County Council, Wicklow County Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Coillte, National Parks & Wildlife Service, and the Wicklow Uplands Council). The project is funded by the project stakeholders (€122,00) and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (€115,000). South Dublin county Council contributes €20,000 financial funding annually and provides additional staff resources through collection and enforcement staff.

Currently the PURE Project stakeholders have concerns in relation to the funding commitments for the project by the DCCAE. Since the establishment of Pure in 2006, the project has submitted five Project Evaluations and Submissions of Extension (2008 – 2011 – 2014 – 2016 – 2019), to the DCCAE in order to be awarded funding on a multiannual basis. The latest submission allowed for the continued development of the project through investment in an urgently needed replacement waste collection vehicle and the recruitment of an administration support. Previous submissions to the DCCAE resulted in a three-year funding commitment. In August 2020, PURE Project received confirmation from the DCCAE that the project would receive funding approval for 2020 only. The DCCAE stated that they were not in a “position to enter into a long-term commitment such as this at this time, the Department recognises and values the work carried out by PURE and is happy to be able to continue to fund the project on an annual basis.” Without a commitment of multiannual funding by the DCCAE, the PURE Project is currently restricted in its ability to commit to long term expenditure, in particular the replacement of the waste collection vehicle. Without the replacement of the vehicle, the PURE Project will be unable to commit the level of response currently experienced by the Local Authorities and the local communities.

South Dublin County Council Environment Section welcomes this motion and if the members so wish, will convey their support as part of our continued communications with the DCCAE in seeking funding for the project on a multiannual basis.

If this motion is passed, a letter will be issued to the Minister of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and any response will be broght to the attention of the Members.