COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF JOINT POLICING COMMITTEE

Friday, February 06, 2009

QUESTION NO.

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor, TD

To ask the Manager to detail ongoing action being taken to affective deal with the scourge of graffiti throughout our communities, will he confirm if any prosecutions have taken place in recent times and will he make a statement.

REPLY:

Various Departments play an active role in combating graffiti throughout the county.

The Council’s Environmental Services Department provide resources for graffiti removal by the Anti-Graffiti Team and/or private contractors as well as engaging with the Probation Services in a pilot graffiti-removal project.  Over 400 graffiti removals were carried out by the Anti-Graffiti Team/contractors/Probation Services in the County in 2008. The Anti-Litter Wardens engage in information and enforcement action which included the service of notices to enforce graffiti removal where appropriate while the Council's Environmental Awareness Team supplements this by providing both information and funding for graffiti prevention and awareness projects to both community groups and schools.  Fines/prosecutions are difficult to secure for those engaging in graffiti because of the need to have sufficient evidence to support such actions.

The Housing Estate Management Section contributes annually to the budget of the Anti-Graffiti Team and also, where the graffiti is offensive, the Estate Management team will fund the cost of its removal as a priority.  The Estate Management team work with R.A.P.I.D. co-ordinators in identifying and agreeing locations within designated R.A.P.I.D. areas for removal of graffiti under the Graffiti Reduction Programme.  In addition youth groups participate in urban art projects aimed at reducing/eliminating graffiti which are run by Estate Management. 

The planting of hedging and climbing plants along visually prominent boundary walls fronting roads and open space areas as a deterrent to graffiti is carried out on an ongoing basis by Parks Department.