The Government is to invest another €2.5 million of the proceeds from the 15 cent levy on plastic bags into new environmental projects.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, confirmed more cash is to be made available for rubbish recycling banks run by local authorities.
Councils operating recycling banks across the country can draw down €2.5 million immediately and a similar amount later in the year - depending on their individual performances on recycling.
The highest amount of money, €166,278, has been allocated to the Dublin local authorities to help further their recycling programmes. Cork will also receive €82,373, Kilkenny €68,419 and Wexford €60,863.
The money will come from an Environment Fund established by the Government last year from the proceds of the 15 cent levy imposed on each plastic bag handed out in shops for the past two years.
Mr Cullen said a total of €13.5 million had been raised so far from the bag tax, while a further €30 million had been raised from the levy on rubbish disposal at landfill sites.
"An unprecedented level of funding is now available forenvironmental protection and improvement," Mr Cullen said.
"I am rewarding those authorities who are implementing their plans and are taking a proactive approach to waste-recovery and recycling".
The bag tax introduced by former Minister for the Environment Mr Noel Dempsey proved controversial on its introduction but has been since hailed as an unqualified success in reducing plastic bag use.
Other countries are already examining Ireland's move in a bid to tackle their own litter problems.
Additional reporting by PA