COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 08, 2012

QUESTION NO.1

QUESTION: Councillor B. Bonner

Thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of council staff, the social credits scheme is proving very successful, as is the assistance given to Tidy Towns groups in the county.  To ask the Manager can we be assured that these initiatives will be adequately funded so that they can respond to the requests of community groups for materials such as bags, gloves, pickers, hi vis jackets etc.?

REPLY:

The Social Credits system has continued to develop over the last 12 months and now provides the main portal through which community groups can access the services of the Council and a channel through which the Council can optimise supports provided. The promotion of pro-social activities remains a priority for the Council and the Social Credits scheme is essential to this. The supports and services provided through the scheme will continue.

The scheme now incorporates Community clean-ups and Bulbs not Bonfires and continues to develop. In 2012 to the end of September there were over 600 applicationsto the scheme. The majority of these approximately 90% are community clean-ups. In 2012 in order to maxiimise resources the Council placed a stock of materials in community cnetres throughout the County. There is a system in place where community groups sign out materials such as litter pickers, shovels, brushes and high vis jackets , bring them back and sign them back in once they are finished. This system will continue in 2013.

It is intended to further augment the Social credits with other initiatives as time goes on, all information is available on www.socialcredits.ie