COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE-TERENURE AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 09, 2014

QUESTION NO. 11

QUESTION: Councillor Ronan McMahon

"To ask the Chief Executive if grafitti in the Templeogue and surrounding areas is cleaned up on an ad hoc basis or if there is a systematic clean up of grafitti on a regular basis and if so at what intervals. Related to this matter, if the Council has any plans to install cameras to catch images of these "artists" in order to try and prevent such vandalism?"

REPLY:

The Council does not have a dedicated crew assigned to graffiti removal in the Templeogue and surrounding areas. Due to the intermittent nature of this problem crews are assigned to remove graffiti as required from time to time and priority is given to dealing with graffiti which is particularly offensive and requires urgent action.

Dealing with Graffiti involves removing the graffiti in a number of different ways. Where graffiti is present on perimeter walls with a plaster or block work finish, the Council's construction crew applies a cement wash finish to remove the offending graffiti. Where walls are in private ownership the residents involved are contacted by the litter warden and requested to deal with the matter, and where remedial action is not taken by the resident it is open to the littere warden to take enforcement action under the Litter Pollution Act 1997. Graffiti can also be dealt with using graffiti wipes or by chemical treatment followed by power washing or alternatively by overpainting. The method used is in general determined by the type of wall or other surface.  Where graffiti is on an unpainted surface such as a brick wall, concrete footpath etc, the complaint may be forwarded to the Probation Services who would arrange for the removal of the graffiti (through Community Service sanction) on behalf of the Council, using specialist chemicals purchased by Environmental Services.

Community Service is a sanction applied by a Judge on an offender found guilty of an offence. It is used as an alternative to a custodial sentence and can range from between 40 - 240 hours in any one year. Community Service is considered an opportunity for the offender to pay back and repair the harm done to the community. The daily format of the Graffiti Removal Bus is administered through the Community Service Supervisor who drives the Graffiti Bus and manages the team of offenders. He is contacted by the relevant contact person in each Council and given a list of locations for Graffiti Removal. He then schedules dates according to priority and volume and reports back to the Council when done. The chemicals used in the Graffiti removal process are purchased by each individual Council and the labour and equipment are provided through the Probation Service Community Service Unit. Two new Graffiti Buses were purchased, fitted out and launched by the Probation Service in July 2013.

A Memorandum of Understanding was recently agreed between South Dublin County Council and the ESB in respect of the removal of graffiti on ESB utility boxes and substations within this Council's administrative area.  The MoU involves complaints in relation to graffiti being centrally received by SDCC Environmental Services Department and then referred to the ESB as appropriate. The ESB will then ensure that the graffiti is removed within a specific time period as set down in the MoU.  It is hoped that similar agreements can be reached with other utility companies in the near future.