COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 11, 2010

QUESTION NO. 11

QUESTION: Councillor J. Hannon

To ask the Manager to indicate how the graffiti removal programme is delivered, how many operatives are employed on same, how much has been expended on same in 2010 to date, and, how much, if any, of this work has been outsourced?

REPLY:

 The Council currently provides a wide ranging response to graffiti in the County with information about graffiti prevention and awareness forming part of the Council's Environmental Awareness role with both community groups and schools and, as part of the Litter Management Plan 2008-2011, ongoing campaigns highlight the role everyone plays in keeping the county clean inclusing an anti-graffiti message.  The Environmental Awareness team have also distributed Anti-Graffiti grants throughout the County.

In addition, the Council’s Graffiti programme incorporates the existing resources provided by the Council's Graffiti Removal Crew and Anti-Litter Wardens, together with a pilot initiative with the Probation Services in dealing with reported graffiti to provide a prompt response to removing graffiti where required.  

These various aspects provide a broad approach to tackling graffiti but it should be noted that the eradication of this problem will require the long-term application of these and similar projects to ultimately create a cultural change.

When a report of graffiti is received, the local Litter warden will inspect the location and determine whether the graffiti is on public or private property.  Where geraffiti si on private property, it is the responsibility of the owner/occupier to remove it and while the Litter warden may assist by providing advice/materials.   If graffiti is on public property, its treatment is dependant on the surface it is on.  The Graffiti Removal Crew apply paint or cement to walls in public areas to remove graffiti while the Probation Services staff are provided with graffiti removal chemicals supplied by the Council and their available staff apply the chemicals and wash off graffiti where possible.

The Council's Graffiti Removal Crew currently comprises 1 supervisor and three staff and this is supplemented by the arrangement with the Probation Services whereby they provide an additional crew comprising one supervisor and up to 5 men on two days per week.

In addition to staff costs, approximately €25,000 has been spent to date in 2010 on materials, equipment and vehicle costs for the graffiti programme.  This does not include materials supplied by Litter Wardens to residents.

A total of 102 graffiti removals have been carried out by the Crew and Probation Services to date this year.

No graffiti removal work has been outsourced to private contractors in 2010.