COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 09, 2015

QUESTION NO.22

QUESTION: Councillor D. O'Donovan

To ask the Chief Executive how many summonses have been issued by the Litter Warden during the past 12 months to individuals within housing estates/parks.  How do these numbers compare with the previous 12 months.  How many reports of littering have been received and are awaiting action to be taken?  

REPLY:

The table hereunder provides a comparative of 2013 v 2014 Litter Warden Service activity.

To date in 2015, the Litter Warden Service has received 186 complaints, resulting in the issuing of 21 litter fines.  A further 114 complaints have been investigated fully but no enforcement action could be taken due to lack of evidence. Consequently, these complaints have been closed. Unfortunately, it is increasingly found that no personal information relating to polluter(s) is contained within the dumped material, with personal information having been removed or shredded.

The remaining 51 complaints are open and under active investigation.  When and where evidence is found, enforcement action as deemed appropriate will be taken under the Act. 

	2014	2013
No. of Litter cases investigated	2,894	3440
No. of Litter Fines issued	625	753
No. of Litter Notices issued	244	150
No. of Litter cases referred for Legal Action	158	187
No. of Direct Prosecutions referred for Legal Action	17	20
No. of Litter cases listed for Court	125	183
No. of Litter cases heard	62	37
No. of successful Litter cases	38	25
No. of successful Direct Prosecutions	2	1