B. Public Services to be delivered in 2020

This funding will enable a significant level of public services to be delivered in 2022 across the Vote Group.  The funding provided reflects the Government’s commitment to addressing a wide range of housing needs, as well as delivering on the objectives of the National Planning Framework under Project Ireland 2040 and Housing for All.  Funding will support the key areas of water services, local government, heritage and Met Éireann, as well as the Valuation Office and the Property Registration Authority.

Vote 34 Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Programme F - Heritage

The aim of this Programme is to conserve and manage Ireland’s heritage for the benefit of present and future generations.  Under this programme, the 2022 allocation of almost €120 million will allow the Department to:

• Progress an expanded programme of biodiversity investment and the restoration and conservation of protected peatlands, including raised bog compensation schemes, in line with national biodiversity and climate action objectives and Just Transition policy;
• Continue to support the protection of our archaeological and built heritage;
• Invest in and support Ireland's national parks and reserves;
• Continue to monitor habitats and species as required under the Birds and Habitats Directives and to advance the delivery of conservation projects under LIFE and other funding instruments, including the conservation and restoration of protected natural heritage areas and expand the Farm Plan programme.
• Establish a new Conservation Measures programme to enhance protections and supports for nature at more than six hundred Natura 2000 sites across Ireland; and,
• Maintain and invest in waterways for some 15,000 registered boat users through Waterways Ireland and support and invest in cross-border initiatives under Shared Island and NDNA, such as the Ulster Canal and the Narrow Water Bridge.

Note: The expenditure on Biodiversity goes beyond the figures presented in the Programme F Heritage.  The National Biodiversity Expenditure Review (NBER) is discussed at the end of this Section on SDG 11.4.1.

C. Estimates 2022

Compared to the 2021 allocation, an additional €172 million in current expenditure and an extra €633.6 million in capital expenditure is being allocated to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Vote Group in 2022.  The additional funding allocated by the Government in its 2022 Budget and Estimates decisions provides a response to the challenges posed by addressing a wide range of housing needs and supporting key areas such as water services, urban development and heritage.  These measures are set out in more detail in the Government Expenditure Reports 2022.  Full details on the allocation of the Votes 2022 resources across spending areas will be set out, as usual, in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV).

Capital expenditure costs in 2022 include additional funding provided to support the Heritage Programme including increases for Built Heritage and Waterways Ireland amounting to €22 million.

D. Reconciliation of 2022 Expenditure Ceiling

Reconciliation of 2022 Expenditure Ceiling is shown in Table 5.2.

A National Biodiversity Expenditure Review for Ireland

In Ireland, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), with support by the Irish Research Council, has backed research by University College Dublin to prepare a National Biodiversity Expenditure Review (NBER).  The review examines the levels and patterns of expenditure that are relevant to biodiversity and the degree to which this expenditure has contributed to Ireland’s international and national commitments to halt biodiversity decline.

The Irish National Biodiversity Expenditure Review (NBER) for the period 2010-2015 has been compiled according to the methodology developed by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), the body established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to examine financial progress towards the objectives and targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as agreed in Aichi, Japan in 2010. 

The NBER consists of this report which examines the distribution of biodiversity-related expenditure across government departments and agencies, NGOs and the private sector, and an analysis of factors that have influenced the nature of biodiversity expenditure and trends in this spending over time.

The report is accompanied by a spreadsheet based database of expenditure over the 2010-2015 period which also reveals the categories of expenditure by type and the levels of spending relative to objectives of the CBD and Ireland’s own National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP).

Key trends

• 1.573 million tonnes of household waste was managed in Ireland in 2019.  This is a 3% increase since 2018.  Managed waste is waste that is collected from households or brought to waste collection centres.   See Table 5.3 and Figure 5.3. 
• The EPA estimates that a further 48,660 tonnes of household waste was unmanaged in 2019.  Unmanaged waste is waste that is not collected or brought to waste collection centres and is therefore likely to cause pollution in the environment because it is fly tipped or disposed of through backyard burning.　
• The majority of household waste managed in Ireland in 2019 was collected at kerbside (66%), with smaller quantities collected via civic amenity sites, skips and bring banks.
• The quantity of household waste managed in Ireland in 2019 equates to 320 kilogrammes per person, up from 314 kg/person in 2018 and 312 kg/person in 2017.   The latest data indicate that household waste generation in Ireland continues to be closely linked with disposable income, lifestyle and consumption patterns.
• The quantity of household waste generated (i.e. managed & unmanaged) in Ireland in 2019 equates to 330 kilogrammes per person, up from 325 kg/person in 2018 and 321 kg/person in 2017.
• Almost half (40%) of all waste collected from households was placed in the residual waste (black) bin in 2019 (635,000 tonnes). Residual waste in Ireland is generally incinerated for energy recovery or landfilled.
• Almost 244,000 tonnes or 16% of household waste was collected in the recycling (green) bin in 2019.  Previous EPA waste characterisation studies have shown approximately a third of waste place in household recycling bins was not recyclable and belongs in the residual waste or organic bin.
• Organic waste collected in the brown bin accounted for 10% of all household waste managed in 2019 (159,000 tonnes), a slightly greater proportion than in 2018.   When properly segregated, this waste is either composted or undergoes anaerobic digestion to yield biogas and digestate for landspreading.  However, despite improved brown bin services and use, only 48% of Irish households had access to a brown bin in 2019 (up from 43% in 2018 and 41% in 2017).  EPA studies have shown that most household organic waste (over 60%) continues to be placed in the residual or recycling bins and is therefore not recycled.

Additional data

More data on the amount of waste collected from households or brought to waste collection centres within regions and local authority areas are presented in more detail in Table 5.3, Figure 5.3 and Map 5.1.

Regional differences are evident in the quantity of household waste collected per person at kerbside by bin type in 2019.  Variations are likely to be linked with differences in the waste collection services and infrastructure provided (e.g. prevalence of two-bin vs. three-bin systems in rural vs. urban areas), variations in the proportion of the population using authorised waste collectors and behavioural factors such as bin sharing.

Future focus

As discussed in Ireland's Waste Story, our focus for the future needs to be on achieving a circular economy and waste prevention so we can make the most of our resources while protecting the environment.  

The rising trend in household waste correlates closely with Central Statistics Office data on personal consumption of goods and services, both of which have shown an upward trend since 2012.  See Table 5.4 and Figure 5.4.  These data indicate that household waste generation in Ireland continues to be closely linked with lifestyle and consumption patterns.

Reversing the upward trend in household waste generation will require the urgent implementation of policy measures contained in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy designed to significantly cut down on packaging waste and food waste in particular. 

Packaging waste makes up 29% of the waste in household residual and recycling bins collected at kerbside, and Ireland’s generation of packaging waste continues to rise.  

To tackle household waste generation, we need cut down on the amount of packaging placed on the market in the first place by innovating and moving to circular business models and ensure that any remaining packaging is designed either for reuse or is readily recyclable.  

We also need to do more to prevent food waste through initiatives such as Stop Food Waste.  Human behaviour also plays a key role, as does the availability and accessibility of appropriate waste management options for householders.

Improperly segregated household waste results in the cross-contamination of recyclables and inefficient waste management.  

Due to the nature of residual household waste, it is difficult to segregate recyclables once they are placed in the residual waste bin, meaning most of Ireland’s household waste continues to be incinerated or landfilled.  

The brown bin roll out to households has increased the composting rate of organic waste. However, still only approximately half of Irish households (48%) had access to a brown bin in 2019 (up from 43% in 2018 and 41% in 2017). The result is the majority of Ireland’s organic waste, including food waste, is not yet being recycled. New EU waste legislation means that the separate collection of biowaste will be mandatory from the end of 2023.

More needs to be done to support Irish householders to use bins and waste collection centres correctly, to expand waste collection and recycling infrastructure and to prevent and minimise waste all along the supply chain.  Early implementation of the policy commitments in Ireland’s Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy will be instrumental in driving this change.

Please note that the statistics on improperly segregated household waste were calculated by applying the results of the EPA 2018 Waste Characterisation Study to the tonnage of household waste managed in 2019.

Municipal waste statistics for Ireland - EPA

EPA waste data release 25 November, 2021.  Latest reference year 2019 (Data subject to Eurostat validation)

Municipal waste is made up of household waste and commercial waste that is similar to household waste.   The EPA reports data on how much municipal waste is generated and how it is treated.

In 2019, Ireland generated 3.1 million tonnes of municipal waste and recycled 37% of it. 

What is municipal waste?

In our everyday lives we produce a general mix of waste in our homes, offices, schools and similar premises.  This type of waste is called municipal waste. It is usually collected at kerbside or we can bring it to collection centres.  The amount of municipal waste generated in our country is an important measure of how wasteful our everyday lives are.

Municipal Waste includes these following waste types:

• Residual (i.e. black bin) waste e.g. waste that cannot be recycled
• Recyclable (i.e. green bin) waste e.g. glass, plastic, paper & board, metals
• Organic (i.e. brown bin) waste e.g. food and garden waste
• Bulky waste e.g. waste that cannot fit in a wheelie bin such as broken furniture, carpets, toys etc.
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

Key findings for 2019

• Ireland generated 3.1 million tonnes of municipal waste in 2019, up 6% from 2.9 million tonnes in 2018. See Table 5.5.
• Of this, 52% came from households and 48% came from commercial sources.  The largest increase was seen in the generation of bulky waste, which increased by almost 134,000 tonnes.  See Table 5.6.
• Some 1.2 million tonnes of Ireland’s municipal waste was recycled in 2019, resulting in a recycling rate of 37%, down from 38% in 2018.  This decrease resulted from a method change advised by the European Commission.  However, there has been a downward trend in Ireland’s recycling performance to the 38% recorded for 2018 from 40% in 2017 and 41% in 2016.  This trend indicates that Ireland faces significant challenges to meet the EU recycling target set for 2025 to 2035.
• Of the municipal waste recycled in 2019, 857,793 tonnes went for material recycling (up 1% on 2018) and 294,761 tonnes was composted/anaerobically digested (up 20% on 2018).  See Table 5.6 and Figure 5.5.
• A total of 1.4 million tonnes or 46% of Ireland’s municipal waste went for incineration with energy recovery in 2019.  The upward trend in the share of municipal waste incinerated since 2011, reflecting a shift away from disposal of residual waste to landfill and an increased incineration capacity nationally.
• Ireland’s landfill rate for municipal waste was 15% in 2019.  The slight increase from the 14% estimated in 2018 is attributable to a method change advised by the European Commission.  Before 2019, biostabilised fines used for landfill cover were classified as a waste recovery process (backfill).  From 2019 on, this practice is classified as disposal.  The overall percentage of recovery of biostabilised fines at landfill and disposal of municipal waste at landfill amounted to 18 in 2018.  Thus, there was an overall decrease of 3% of municipal waste landfilled between 2018 and 2019.  This is in line with the steep decline in Ireland’s landfill rate for municipal waste over time from 84% in 2001.  Ireland and other Member States must reduce the share of municipal waste landfilled to 10% or less by 2035, which takes account of waste landfilled at each step along the waste treatment process in Ireland and abroad.
• Ireland’s reliance on exporting municipal waste abroad for final treatment increased in 2019.  Some 40% of all municipal waste (1.2 million tonnes) was exported for final treatment in 2019, up from 35% in 2018.  Of the waste exported, most went for recycling (56%) or energy recovery (36%) while 7% went for composting.  See Table 5.7.

Future focus

Ireland’s recycling rate for municipal waste has not improved significantly between 2012 and 2019 and is below future EU municipal waste recycling targets.  

To improve municipal waste recycling percentages and reach future EU targets, we need to:

• Prevent waste: buy less, instead swap, share and repair.
• Recycle more.

This will also reduce our emissions and use of raw materials.

European reporting

The EPA submits municipal waste data for Ireland to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, as part of the annual OECD/Eurostat Joint Questionnaire.  The data are submitted in Q3-4 of the reference year +2 (i.e. 2019 data were collected and processed in 2020 and were submitted to Eurostat end of Qtr 4,2021).  Following validation by Eurostat, official statistics for Ireland and all Member States are published on the Eurostat website as part of the ‘Municipal waste by waste management operations’ dataset.

Environmental Indicators Ireland 2021 - CSO

Further information on municipal waste can be found in the Waste chapter of  the CSO report on Environmental Indicators Ireland 2021.

Municipal waste generated in Ireland peaked at 3.4 million tonnes in 2007, up from 2.7 million tonnes in 2001.  It fell to 2.6 million tonnes in 2014, before increasing to 2.9 million tonnes in 2018.

Municipal waste per capita fell from 800 kilogrammes per capita in 2006 to 564 in 2014.  By 2018 it had risen to 600 kilogrammes per capita.  See Table 5.8.

There was a sharp decrease in the proportion of municipal waste sent to landfill in Ireland from 83.8% in 2001 to 15% in 2019.  See Table 5.9.

Air Quality Index for Health

The Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index for Health (AQIH) is a number from 1 to 10 that tells you what the air quality currently is in the station nearest you and whether or not this might affect the health of you or your child.  A reading of 10 means the air quality is very poor and a reading of one to three inclusive means that the air quality is good.

The EPA Air Quality Map shows the air quality at 97 monitoring stations across Ireland.

Air Quality Zones

Under the Clean Air for Europe Directive, EU member states must designate "Zones" for the purpose of managing air quality.

For Ireland, four zones were defined in the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2011).  The zones were amended on 1 January 2013 to take account of population counts from the 2011 CSO Census and to align with the coal restricted areas in the 2012 Regulations (S.I. No. 326 of 2012).

Maps of the zones are available on EPA Maps.

The main areas defined in each zone are:

• Zone A: Dublin
• Zone B: Cork
• Zone C: Other cities and large towns comprising Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Drogheda, Dundalk, Bray, Navan, Ennis, Tralee, Kilkenny, Carlow, Naas, Sligo, Newbridge, Mullingar, Wexford, Letterkenny, Athlone, Celbridge, Clonmel, Balbriggan, Greystones, Leixlip and Portlaoise.
• Zone D: Rural Ireland, i.e. the remainder of the State excluding Zones A, B and C.

The full definitions of the zones (by Electoral District) is available in the publications section of the EPA website.

See Table 5.11 for Air Quality: Particulate Matter 2.5, 2009-2019 and Figure 5.6. 

See Table 5.12 for Air Quality: Particulate Matter 10, 2009-2019 and Figure 5.7.

Environmental Accounts Air Emissions - CSO

Air Pollutant Emissions

Further information on air pollutant emissions is reported in the CSO report Environmental Accounts Air Emissions

Data on emissions by resident units of the air pollutants including fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and larger particulate matter (PM₁₀) are shown in Table 5.13 and Table 5.14.

Emissions of all air pollutants fell in 2019, with large reductions seen in emissions of sulphur oxides (26%) and carbon monoxide (17%) in particular, due mainly to decreases in emissions from household heating and from the energy supply sector, NACE 35.

The NACE sector share of each air pollutant in 2019 is shown in Figure 5.8.

Households were the source of 61% of sulphur oxide emissions, 67% of carbon monoxide emissions and 64% of emissions of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5).  

Each of the four sectors was responsible for a substantial share of emissions of nitrogen oxides.

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector was the source of 99% of ammonia emissions and 40% of emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs).  

Larger particulate matter (PM₁₀) was mainly emitted by the industry sector (34%), the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector (32%), and the household sector (29%).  See Figure 5.8.