COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 12, 2010

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor R. Dowds

To ask the Manager to outline the grass cutting schedule for South Dublin at present?

REPLY:

For the 2010 grass cutting season, the Parks Department has been endeavouring to achieve a grass cutting interval of around fifteen days between cuts for parks, open spaces and distributor roads, all of which are not subject to onerous signing, lighting and guarding requirements.  This is based on a grass cutting schedule that operates on a three week cycle. Within this cycle, priority is being afforded to the cutting of the 150 playing pitches throughout the county.

Dual carriageways and National Roads are subject to significant signing lighting and guarding requirements and the first cuts on these roads only commenced in June. It is also proposed to replace, where appropriate, areas of grass which have high maintenance requirements e.g. in the vicinity of junctions where sightlines may be afected, with low maintenance measures.

As part of the ongoing review of the schedule, alternative grass management methods are being examined such as setting aside areas of meadow with mown edges and paths and the reduction of soil nutrient levels to promote the growth of wildflower species.