COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

QUESTION NO. 17

QUESTION: Councillor E. O'Brien

"To ask the Chief Executive to detail the number of cars impounded by the Council in the Lucan/Palmerstown area in the past 12 months and if this has increased from previous years?"

REPLY:

Section 71 of the Waste Management Act, 1996, as amended describes "abandoned" as follows: 

“abandoned”, in relation to a vehicle, includes left in such circumstances or for such period that it is reasonable to assume that the vehicle has been abandoned, and cognate words shall be construed accordingly".

This subject was discussed at length at the recent Environment, Public Realm & Climate Change SPC (Held on 1st November 2016) at which it was noted that while the figure of reports / complaints received has increased, certain complaints of "abandoned" vehicles are not necessarily always considered to be abandoned vehicles but rather may fall into traffic matters or may also relate to "nuisance vehicles" are not in fact abandoned, such as:

• Vehicles poorly parked
• Vehicles causing an obstruction
• Vehicles involved in residential parking disputes
• Broken down vehicles
• Untaxed and uninsured vehicles

The Litter Warden Service have investigated 35 complaints of abandoned cars to date in 2016 and are catorgised as follows:

• 23  were a Gardaí matter
• 1    was removed by an authorised collector
• 5    removed by the owners
• 3    End of Life Vechicles
• 2    referred to Travellers Unit
• 1    car not located

 The Litter Warden service investigated 20 complaints for the same period in 2015 and are catorigised as follows:

• 12  were a Gardaí matter
• 4    removed by the owners
• 4    owners of vehciles lived on the road

The majority of vehicles reported on above related to vehicles parked long-term in parking spaces.