COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 13, 2021

QUESTION NO 31.

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive would he comment on what supports are available to Tidy Towns organisations withing SDCC in regard to Biodiversity and Recycling to help increase their points in the Tidy Towns contest?

REPLY:

The Council's Social Credits Scheme rewards Tidy Towns and community groups as well as individuals who take pride in their environment and improve their local area by carrying out pro-environmental actions such as community clean-ups, maintenance of community gardens, graffiti removal, weeding of footpaths etc.  The Public Realm Section has in conjunction with Tidy Towns groups implemented or assisted in the implementation of biodiversity measures in a number of locations. 

For example wildflower areas have been developed in both Woodstown and Rathcoole Village, where on request from the Tidy Towns groups the Council has implemented a programme of reduced grass mowing.  Public Realm staff liaise regularly with the ‘Pink Ladies group’ and the Meitheal group in Palmerstown Village and the Tidy Towns Groups in Lucan and Clondalkin Village.  Biodiversity assistance is provided through pollinator friendly planting schemes (Clondalkin hanging baskets) & advice regarding pollinator friendly planting schemes, native tree trail (in Waterstown Park), pollinator friendly bulb planting (Kennelsfort Rd/R148 junction) as well as managed grass maintenance schemes at suitable agreed locations.  Bark mulch is provided to the Tidy Towns groups where requested to assist with weed control as an alternative to herbicide use.

Assistance in the area of recycling is provided in the form of the existing bring bank network throughout the county, as well as through the collection of waste by Public Realm from Tidy Towns clean-ups with green waste going on to be composted.

Staff from the Council's Climate Action & Environmental Awareness Office are available to give talks, workshops and advice on any recycling projects that Tidy Towns groups wish to implement, as are Public Realm staff available to assist and give advice on biodiversity matters.

The Community Environment Action Fund promotes sustainable development by supporting small-scale environmental projects at local level. A number of biodiversity projects have been supported under this Fund in recent years. The grant is co-funded with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and in 2019/20, €40,000 was distributed to groups.

A range of projects are being implemented under the SDCC Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).  These projects are co-ordinated by the Heritage Officer and agreed by the Internal Steering Group for Biodiversity.  Progress on the Plan’s implementation is reported to Council through the meetings of the Joint SPC Sub-committee for Biodiversity.

Funding for biodiversity projects is drawn primarily from the County Heritage Plan budget (LUPT) and from EWCC.  Additional biodiversity funding is also sought from external funding bodies including the National Biodiversity Action Plan implementation programme managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).