Local authorities in Ireland have received a total of €690,000 (£480,000) in funding support to run public education initiatives on litter and graffiti, the Government of Ireland has announced.

The 2015 Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme (ALAGS) will help city and county councils fund a range of measures aimed at raising public awareness of litter and promoting anti-litter and anti-graffiti activity at a local level.

Programmes will have a particular focus on initiatives involving schools, young people and community groups.

Announcing the scheme last week (31 July), Alan Kelly, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, commented that the funding acknowledges the key role that local authorities play in ‘mobilising innovative responses to raise awareness and combat environmental pollution’.

The funding was split between 31 councils, with the majority receiving between €15,000 (£10,450) and €28,000 (£19,500) each. Dublin City, which houses around 11 per cent of Ireland’s population, received €56,000 (£39,000), while Limerick City & County received the second highest amount (€40,000 or £27,870).

Allocations to city councils were calculated to reflect ‘the significant transient population in these areas’ (e.g. tourists and students), the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government said.

Local environmental schemes also receive funding

The minister announced the allocation from the Environment Fund, a pot filled by the levies on plastic shopping bags and the landfill of waste, alongside €400,000 (£278,500) of funding for the 2015 Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Environmental Partnership Fund.

The LA21 fund has operated since 1997 and supports local environmental initiatives by communities, individuals and not-for-profit groups.

A wide variety of small-scale, local-level projects have been funded by the LA21 in recent years, including community gardens, compost schemes, rainwater harvesting schemes, educational initiatives and environmental exhibitions.

In addition to the contribution from the Environment Fund, local authorities are expected to provide matching funding of €400,000, with additional contribution coming from private sources. In 2014, the total funding for the LA21 Scheme was in excess of €1.4 million (£970,000).

Schemes ‘will make communities more sustainable and environmentally responsible’

Speaking following the announcement, Kelly said: “Both the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme and LA21 Environmental Partnership Fund are targeted at providing funding for local projects by local groups to help improve their own immediate environments and make our communities more sustainable and environmentally responsible.

“This [ALAGS] funding will continue to assist local communities’ efforts by providing resources to raise awareness of the litter and graffiti issues within local areas and, I hope, will encourage further local participation in anti-litter efforts.

“The LA21 fund shows how local initiatives can increase environmental awareness and make a real difference in our communities. Together with the local authorities, my Department supported almost 700 projects under this scheme in 2014.

“These awareness initiatives go beyond mere environmental considerations. The appearance of our cities, towns, villages and our rural and coastal environments has a significant impact on social and economic activity across the country, and also contributes to tourism, creating jobs and generally adding value to everyday lives. These funds provide the impetus to preserve and protect our natural and built environments and help to restore pride and natural beauty throughout our communities.”

Learn more about the Irish Environment Fund.