COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 11, 2015

QUESTION NO.15

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive what early preparations are being made by his staff to tackle the annual challenge in respect of Open Spaces throughout the County during bombfire season and will he confirm  if he is considering  supporting organised community bombfires to save damages to our Open Spaces?

REPLY:

The Council welcomes a proactive and collaborative countywide approach to addressing issues relating to Halloween, and discussions on Halloween 2015 have already commenced.

There is provision of €20,000 in the Council's 2015 budget for Halloween, and it is expected that this will be split evenly to mark the festival with event(s) north and south of the Naas Road.

In recent weeks an initial meeting took place between Councillors in Clondalkin and relevant officials from Environment/Public Realm and Housing/Community Services.

It is now proposed to review the overall events surrounding Halloween 2014 and to discuss a plan for this year with representatives of the two Community Safety Fora and the Youth Services.

A follow up meeting is being arranged for mid May to which a number of community organisations will be invited.

As in previous years the Council continue to promote and encourage a 'Safe Halloween'' with the objective of reducing injuries, environmental damage and the clean up cost associated with this time of year. 

Substantial effort will be made by the Council to deter the activity of illegal bonfires through a  range of measures, including focus on reducing the availability of material for bonfires by removing bonfire material from circulation, enforcement of litter legislation by enforcement officers, and the bonfire prevention campaigns  such as "Bulbs not Bonfires".