57.—(1) The Agency shall provide such general support and assistance for the purposes of environmental protection to local authorities in relation to the performance of any of their functions as it considers necessary and feasible.

(2) The Agency may, for the purposes of subsection (1), make arrangements with a local authority, on such terms and conditions as may be agreed, for the provision of services, including services relating to staffing and equipment, to that local authority.

(3) In this section “local authority” has the meaning assigned to it by the Local Government Act, 1941.