COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (1)

Monday, September 24, 2012

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney

"To ask the Manager to report on grass-cutting in parks and green spaces in the area under the remit of this Committee to date in 2012; to ask if it is felt that grass-cutting in small public green spaces such as those in Temple Manor Estate, Mountdown and Muckross  Green (all Dublin 12) during the summer was sufficient; and to make recommendations for grass-cutting in this area into the future?"

REPLY:

Grass cutting in parks and open spaces in 2012 has been severely affected by the exceptionally high rainfall and high temperatures in June, July and August and to a reduced extent in September also.  It has also been affected by the very tight budget conditions under which the Council is currently operating. 

High grass growth has hampered effective use of machinery and in many cases machinery has had to be directed away from saturated ground to avoid damaging the surface.   The standard of grass cutting has therefore in many cases been to a standard that would not be acceptable to either the public or the Council.  The reduced rainfall in September has allowed for some retrieval of the grass cutting schedules but it will require exceptionally dry weather to complete the grass cutting programme to the standard that would be acceptable under normal conditions.

The priority of the Council has been to ensure that playing pitches are available for play and that they are maintained to a condition that is acceptable and useable by the participants and in most situations this priority has been met.