COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE-TERENURE AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

MOTION NO. 5

MOTION: Councillor D. O'Donovan

"That the Chief Executive gives a full and detailed account of the grass cutting schedule for the Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure area, outlining the staff numbers involved and the training given to said staff as there have been numerous complaints about the quality of the service, leaving areas almost impassible with mounds of wet grass, causing dangerous conditions."

REPORT:

"There are currently three large tractor mowers and three ride-on mowers assigned to cut the grass in the Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure area and these operate from Rathfarnham Castle Depot.  These are supplemented as required on occasions with staff and machinery from both Tymon and Sean Walsh Park depots.  As elsewhere around the County playing pitches in the area are scheduled to be cut weekly while other open spaces, parks and roadside margins are scheduled to be cut every fortnight.  While the cutting of large open spaces by tractor mower is on schedule at present, the cutting of smaller spaces and margins has fallen behind schedule.  The Public Realm section is examining this issue at present and it is intended that this issue will be addressed over the coming two weeks. 

The training received by staff for grass cutting is a 3 day course where they are trained to operate ride-on and pedestrian mowers as well as strimmers and hedge cutters, a separate 3 day course is run for the training of tractor mower operators.  The training received covers methods to be used in grass cutting that will help to minimise the spread of grass cuttings on to roads and paths.   On occasions certain circumstances arise which make it difficult to control the spread of grass cuttings such as heavy grass growth, wet grass, wind etc.  In circumstances where roads and/or paths become soiled by grass cuttings the supervisery staff in charge are required to arrange for the area to be cleaned as necessary."