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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 14, 2022

QUESTION NO. 26

QUESTION: Councillor David McManus

To ask the Chief Executive the additional cost of clean ups and waste collections due to the Halloween period in 2022 to minimise bonfires, including any additional staffing costs or other costs, compared to 2021 and if a statement is available on the matter?

REPLY:

The process of surveying, mapping and clean-up of bonfire sites is currently underway but is not yet complete and it is therefore not possible at this time to give accurate information on the full cost to the Council to respond to Halloween bonfires in 2022.  The number of bonfires in 2021 was the lowest encountered in many years at 180, this resulted in less damage done to public open spaces and to the environment in general however the cost to the Council to deal with materials that were intercepted before they reached bonfires increased and brought about an increase in the overall cost of the bonfire response.  It will take a further two weeks approximately to remove all burnt materials from bonfire sites and it is only after this is completed that we will have a final figure on the amount of waste removed and the cost to remove and dispose of it.   A full report on the matter will be made available to the elected members once all the necessary information has been collated, and it is expected that this will be before the end of November.