COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

QUESTION NO. 13

QUESTION: Councillor T. Delaney

To ask the Manager to clarify the Council's position on traders 'trading' on the public footpath in the Clondalkin area?

REPLY:

Following the receipt of previous complaints regarding the unauthorised use of the public footpaths in the Clondalkin Village area for the display of goods, advertising signs, tables, chairs and a variety of other items, the Council pursuant to its powers under Section 71 of the Roads Act, 1993 served notices on each of the offending traders in the Clondalkin Village area in late 2009.  Some two dozen premises were visited and individual notices were served.

Following the receipt of further complaints in February 2010 Final Notices were served on all premises who continued to offend – some 7 notices were served in all.  The owners were informed that failure to comply with the Final Notice would result in their goods / structures being seized and removed from the public footpaths by the Council.  It was pointed out to the offenders that any seized items would only be returned when, the owner pays a contribution to the cost of removal and storage of the items and completes an undertaking not to place the items in the public domain again.

An operation was carried out by Council Officials in conjunction with the local Gardaí in July 2010 on foot of Final Notices served. Following same, a significant improvement in the situation was observed and no further complaints have been received with regard to this particular location.  Any further or new complaints will be dealt with in the same manner, as they arise. 

It is not possible to target premises on an individual basis where adjoining premises are equally in breach of the provisions of the Roads Act.