COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 23rd 2017

QUESTION NO.12

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the CEO what plans are in place to deal with the challenge of the forthcoming bonfire season; will he confirm what staff resources will be available to remove materials from our open spaces and will he also state what efforts will be made to convey a positive message to our communities in respect of the matter and will he make a statement.

REPLY:

The burning of waste is prohibited under legislation, and bonfires waste valuable Council resources in the removal and disposal of material, while many communities also suffer from the social, economic and environmental cost of this activity.

The Council makes concerted efforts each year to control this illegal activity through a range of measures from education to enforcement.

Public Realm staff are already engaged in the collection of bonfire material across the county where reports have been received from Elected Members, the general public and our own staff.

It is important to note that Council staff can only remove bonfire material from public property, and bonfire material stored on private property, such as front or back gardens, cannot be removed. However, the Council does have powers under the Waste Management Act 1996 whereby a notice can be served on the owner of the property, requiring them to remove the material.

The majority of bonfire construction only takes place on Halloween itself, often not starting until after our staff have finished work for the day. While the Council endeavours to deal with as many calls as possible, it is not possible to deal with every single case.

The Council will have staff working to remove bonfire material, on a prioritised basis, from locations around the county up until normal finishing time on Halloween.   Priority locations include bonfires being constructed in close proximity to houses, power lines, roadsides and transport routes. Particular attention is given to bonfire removal requests from the Gardaí where they have identified a threat to property or services such as public transport.

The "Happy Halloween" initiative continues with focus on reducing the availability of material for bonfires through the targeting of suppliers of material used in bonfires, enforcement of litter legislation by waste and litter enforcement officers, and the bonfire prevention campaigns such as Bulbs not Bonfires.

A colourful infographic leaflet providing facts and tips on how to stay safe at Halloween has also been published.

All reports of bonfire material should be put through the Membersnet/Customer Contact System where each enquiry can be tracked and monitored and a response issued.