Updated: Westmeath second worst for performance on Illegal dumping

Westmeath did not prosecute a single waste offender over the same time period.

That's according to RTÉ Investigates who for the last six months went undercover investigating the ever increasing problem of illegal dumping and how councils regulate and prosecute waste offenders.

Tonight, RTÉ Investigates: Ireland's Wild Waste, an hour-long documentary airs on RTÉ One at 9.35pm and shows the level of investment in waste regulation and enforcement varies significantly depending on the county you live in.

Westmeath Council is ranked 29th of the 30 councils analysed - where 1 is ranked as the most active council for regulating and enforcing waste services per number of waste permits held in the local authority and 30 as the least active.

Between 2015 and 2016 Westmeath spent €6.89 per person on waste services, €10.33 less than the national average of €17.22.

Westmeath conducted 170 non-routine inspections between 2014 and 2016, 88% lower than the national average.

Westmeath County Council response

In response to the RTÉ Investigates claims, Westmeath County Council said like all Local Authorities, it is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in regard to all environmental matters including waste.

"Westmeath County Councils performance as determined by the EPA is currently classified as ‘Excellent’ for the latest measured period of 2016.

"Westmeath County Council was not contacted by RTE regarding the recent investigation and is unaware of the criteria or the methodology used in their report.

"In regard to financial spend Westmeath County Council have annual revenue spend of €1,528,085 under the following categories:
 
·         Landfill Operation & Aftercare
·         Recovery & Recycling Facilities Operations
·         Litter Management
·         Waste Regulations, Monitoring & Enforcement
·         Waste Management planning
or an average spend per head of population under these categories of €17.22

"Westmeath’s performance is outlined annually through the ‘Local Authority Environmental Enforcement Performance Framework’. Performance results are generated from 26 environmental enforcement indicators including 5 indicators on waste," said a spokesperson Westmeath County Council

The RTÉ online report is now available on RTE.ie. www.rte.ie/news/investigations-unit/ or tune in tonight at 9.30pm on RTÉ One.