COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

MOTION NO. 9

MOTION: Councillor T. Delaney

That this Committee whilst acknowledging the enormous amount of great work carried out by the Parks Department staff in the Clondalkin Electoral Area, ask that procedures are put in place to pick litter before grass cutting is carried out and also that when margins along footpaths are being cut there is a grass collection or sweeping action put in place.

REPORT:

The Parks Section works in conjunction with the Litter Management Section to ensure, that as far as is practically possible, that litter is removed before grass cutting takes place.

In relation to cutting grass verges which adjoin footpaths, it is impossible to prevent some clippings from falling onto the footpath.  In order to minimise this issue, the vehicle operators undertake the works to ensure that the majority of the grass cuttings are blown back onto the verge as opposed to adjoining surfaces.  Our grass cutting machines are not designed to collect grass and the manual sweeping and collection of clippings is not viable within existing staff resources. Collecting grass would also create transport and disposal issues which could not be justified.  For these reasons grass cuttings are not collected but left in situ where they can decompose and return their nutrients to the soil.