COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 14, 2016

QUESTION NO.13

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive if he would confirm the cost to the Council of removing graffiti throughout the County in this calendar year and will he present a report outlining his proposed strategy to deal with this difficult issue into the future.

REPLY:

All reports of graffiti are investigated by the Litter Warden Service, who ascertain the extent and nature of the graffiti, and also verify the ownership of the defaced property.

A total number of 301 complaints / reports of graffiti were received and investigated to date in 2016.

Where graffiti is observed on Council/public property the location is referred to our Public Realm Section to arrange for removal.

Where graffiti is observed on private property a letter is issued advising of the property owner's responsibility.

In accordance with the provisions of the Litter Management Plan 2015-2019, and depending on the location, (if property faces onto a strategic public place), the Council has committed through the graffiti removal protocol, to work with private property owners to endeavour to have the defacement removed from private property.

The protocol for such removal from private property requires an indemnity from the property owner (or an agent of the property owner) to enter onto the property for the purpose of removal of the defacement. The property owner or an agent of the property owner will sign an indemnity and in all cases there will be a fee involved, and no works will take place on private property in the absence of such indemnity and no chargeable work will be carried out until such charges are agreed by both parties.   No such arrangements have yet been made to date in 2016.

Notwithstanding the above, graffiti is removed from footpaths / roads outside private residences where the estate is taken in charge. The Council recently (Q4 2016) reviewed and renewed four (4) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with our most significant utility companies, namely ESB Networks, Gas Networks Ireland, Eir and Telco Providers. These MoU’s set out agreed procedures to deal with illegal dumping of waste, litter and graffiti at sub-stations, and other utility premises and structures in South Dublin County Council’s administrative area, and if graffiti is detected on utility boxes in the ownership of any one of the companies who have a Memorandum of Understanding agreement with the Council, a referral is made to the company involved and a reporting mechanism on response to these referrals is also now in place.

To date in 2016 a total of €89,000 has been spent in the investigation and removal of graffiti.  A total figure of €92,000 has been provided in the approved 2017 budget.