COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (1)

Monday, October 17, 2011

QUESTION NO. 11

QUESTION: Councillor C. King

"To ask the Manager to provide details of additional plans being put in place for the removal of bonfire materials before Halloween taking in to account the Council will be closed as it is a bank holiday?"

REPLY:

Cross departmental meetings have been taking place since early September to co-ordinate the Council's response to the issue of Halloween bonfires.  These meetings have involved staff from the Housing, Corporate Services and Environmental Services Depts and have recently been joined by An Garda Siochana, Dublin Fire Brigade and Dublin Civil Defence.  Staff from the Housing Dept, Cleansing, Operations, Parks and Litter Wardens Sections regularly deal with issues around the removal of bonfire material from early September onwards. The creation of the operations section at the start of April of this year means that the Council has an additional 46 operational staff who are now engaged in the clean up of open spaces and this should have a major impact on the Council's ability to respond to the threat of bonfires.  The efforts of all staff concerned will continue and intensify up to Halloween weekend.  The Council's Enforcement Section, including waste enforcement officers and litter wardens, is activley making contact with companies in possession of tyres and pallets as well as other waste types to impress upon them that it is an offence to hand over waste materials for placing on bonfires.  Inspections are currently being carried out and will continue to be carried out, to monitor compliance in this regard.