COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, May 09, 2016
QUESTION NO.22
QUESTION: Councillor L. O'Toole
To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report on the number of little wardens and dog wardens within SDCC and to report on the total number of parks/area they patrol and what percentage is patrolled on a daily basis.
REPLY:
1750 hectares of parks and open spaces and l5 Regional Parks, 10 Local Parks, and 50 Neighbourhood Parks throughout the County are within the remit of this Council. There are a further suite of outdoor leisure facilities including 28 Playspaces & 163 Pitches.
The Council currently employs two full time Dog Wardens, four full time Litter Wardens and fourteen full time Park Rangers.
The Dog Wardens' role is the enforcement of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 as amended. This includes:
- responding to complaints relating to dogs not under effectual control and/or dangerous dogs
- carrying out of Licence Checks and the initiation of enforcement proceedings where possible
- seizure and collection of unwanted/stray dogs and removal to the Dog Pound.
Dog Wardens investigate complaints received regarding dogs wheresoever the complaint emanates.
The role of the Litter Warden includes:
- the enforcement of the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended
- Casual Trading Acts and Bye-Laws
- elements of the Waste Management Act and associated regulations
- matters relating to the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and associated regulations.
Primarily the Litter Warden role relates to the investigation of complaints of dumping in various locations, including Council's Parks, and the initiation of enforcement proceedings where possible. They also patrol the county villages and areas prone to regular dumping incidents.
Primarily the role of the Park Ranger is to open and close the facility, patrol and observe activity within the park, and to enforce the Parks and Open Spaces Bye-Laws.
During 2015 a total of
- 500 Litter Fines issued, 5 of which were in respect of S 22 Litter Pollution Act 1997 breached (Dog Foul Related offences)
- 2014 Notices were issued
- 9621 individual dog licences were issued
- 12 lifetime dog licences issued
- 538 stray dogs entered the pound
- 145 dogs were surrendered by owners
- 15 dogs seized
- 193 dogs reclaimed by owners
- 432 dogs rehomed
- 79 dogs euthanized