COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 13, 2010

QUESTION NO. 29

QUESTION: Councillor E. Walsh 2009

What plans are currrently in operation to save the Council expending the wasteful amounts (€400,000 last year) deployed in the clean up after Hallowe'en and will the Council deploy extra staff to remove noxious items such as bedding, settees and motor vehicle tyres in advance of the event?

REPLY:

In 2009 a total of 523 illegal bonfires were identified throughout the county.  Post Halloween every illegal bonfire site ws digitially photographed and mapped by the Council’s Parks Department for the purpose of identifying the extent of damage on an L.E.A../D.E.D./ Parks District basis.  This exercise found that a total area of   6233.50m was damaged  consequent on illegal bonfires throughout the county in 2009.

http://sdcc-gis-server/Bonfire2009/default.aspx  

Further the tonnage of waste generated from each illegal bonfire site was recorded for purpose of quantifying the overall cost to the Council of disposal of bonfire material in 2009 – this exercise found a total of 387.47 tons of waste was generated  from illegal bonfire sites at a total cost to the Council of €28,525.40.

The Halloween Bonfire Clean-Up Programme 2009 was undertaken by staff from the Council’s Parks , Environmental Services, Housing and Roads Departments using shared plant and machinery so as to maximise use of the Council’s resources.

The overall cost to SDCC of the 2009 Halloween Bonfire Clean-Up Programme was €101,525, minus reinstatement costs.

In advance of Halloween 2010 the Council will be appealing to all residents and businesses to reduce the damage being caused to the county by halloween vandalism.  A leaflet campaign is being developed which calls upon everyone to be vigilant, to make sure they do not provide bonfire material and to remove it themselves the moment they see in starting to emerge.  We are also appealing to young people to desist from damaging their community space and depriving others of its use.

There will be an inter-departmental group comprising Parks, Housing, Environment and Community who will be co-ordinating activity across the county.  Parks will continue to remove debris from open spaces as Cleansing will continue to remove illegally dumped materials.  There will not be additional resources assisgned to this task as communities themselves are being asked to come together to overcome the problem in their own areas.  There will be contact with schools, with community groups and with the Youth Services to promote a scar free environment.  The Council will organise two official bonfires - one in West Tallaght and one in North Clondalkin and are asking that people attend those which will be adequately stewarded and will use non-toxic materials.

A new intiative which will be launched as part of the "Building Social Capital" programme of the Council where communities who manage to keep a green space which was damaged last year free of a bonfire in 2010 will have last years damage reinstated and planted in a "Bulbs for Bonfires" programme across the county.

Post Halloween the Council will carry out the same work as 2009 to measure the extent to which the county has been damaged.   Where bonfires have occured the area will be digitally imaged, mapped, the damage assessed and when material is then removed the cost of disposal - often a hidden cost - will be clearly identified.  It is the Council's objective to spend 50% less on cleaning up after one nights activity in the county and therefore €50,000 is budgeted for. 

It is essential that communities move towards a different approach in keeping the county clean and enhancing the environment.  The practice of expending resources on recreating the past instead of building a better future is to everyones' advantage and positions the county in a more competitive place as well as enhancing the day to day life of those who live and work here.

The Council will be working in conjunction with the Gardai in the area of prevention of availability of materials for bonfires in so far as we possibly can.