COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (1)

Monday, February 16, 2009

QUESTION NO. 4

QUESTION: Councillor K. Warren

“To ask the Manager what action the Council intend to take to prevent scrambler bikes being used in Dodder Valley Park, particularly in close proximity to Scoil Carmel, where their activity is a form of annoyance and disturbance to students and to teachers in the school, if the Council are working in tandem with Rathfarnham Garda Station to prevent this kind of activity which is clearly illegal in terms of Council by-laws, and if he will make a statement on the matter?”

REPLY:

Residents in the immediate area have been provided with a contact telephone number for the Park Ranger Service based at Tymon Park.  The co-operation of the residents in promptly contacting and alerting the rangers to the presence of motorcycles is and has been very valuable in addressing the incidence of this activity in the Dodder Valley Parklands. 

Since February 2008, the Park Ranger Service has recorded 18 incidents where they were called to deal with motorcycle and scrambler activity at this location.  On a number of occasions, the Park Rangers received support from An Garda Síochána from both the Tallaght and Rathfarnham districts in pursuing the perpetrators of these illegal activities.  In addition, the Council have installed barriers at the rear of Morton’s pub and along the Firhouse Road to prevent access by these unauthorised vehicles to the parklands.  However, it appears that some of these motorcycles are gaining access through privately owned lands adjoining the public parkland, and because of the off-road nature of the vehicles, they are accessing the public park area by travelling across and within the river itself. 

At this point, the continued monitoring of the Park by the Park Ranger Service in association with the Gardai and the subsequent issuing of prosecutions is the most efficient means of addressing the issue.  In this context, the ongoing co-operation of the residents in promptly contacting and alerting the Park Rangers to the presence of motorcycles remains of utmost importance.