COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE/FIRHOUSE/BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, February 09, 2021

MOTION NO. 10

MOTION: Councillor Alan Edge

That the Chief Executive gives serious consideration to providing temporary additional measures such as cameras to catch and prosecute offenders, given that fly-tipping has become endemic in Glenasmole during the lockdown, particularly in Piperstown and the stretch from Cunard Lane to the Military Rd.

REPORT:

As always, the Council is grateful for assistance and support from local residents or others in their investigations of such incidents as they arise. In the absence of substantive evidence / witness statements and the presence of such witnesses in court it is not possible for us to bring successful prosecutions. 

The area is patrolled regularly by the Council's Litter Wardens and all incidents reported or detected are investigated. Increasingly it is found that no information relating to polluters is contained within the dumped material, with personal infomation having been dumped or shredded.

From June 2019, for a period of three months, covert surveillance was deployed at two locations in the Piperstown Road area. This was carried out as part of the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment 2019 Anti-Dumping Initiative Grant. The deployment of covert surveillance at these location was successful resulting in the detection of three incidences of illegal dumping and burning at the selected sites. Evidence gathered also provided valuable information to assist in identifying persons involved in additional illegal dumping activities in the area. As a result of investigations, case files were submitted the the Council's Law Department for prosecution under the Waste Management Act.

Covert surveillance was deployed during 2020 at different locations throughout the County and once again proved to be successful in identifying incidences of illegal dumping. This surveillance was carrie dout as part of the 2020 Anti Dumping Grant.

Further deployment of covert surveillance in the Glanasmole Valley area will be considered as the need and justification arises.

The area is also within the catchment of the PURE project (Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments).