COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, September 23, 2024

MOTION NO. 2

MOTION: Councillor T. Costello

"Can SDCC carry out an audit of council owned laneway to establish which ones need attention to remove illegal dumping or over vegetation and schedule a cleanse of ones that need to be addressed?"

REPORT:

As recently reported in response to a question on the agenda of the September County Council meeting provision was made in budget 2024 for the cleaning of laneways in the Palmerstown and Dublin 12 areas on a once off basis.  Those laneways are wide enough to accommodate a vehicle and in many instances they have suffered from regular illegal dumping over the years.  As they are accessible by vehicle they have been used to access back garden parking areas and garages and for this reason they must be kept clear.  The cleaning programme for those laneways consists of sweeping, removal of illegally dumped items and weed treatment and removal.  All housing estates within the Tallaght Central and South areas have been examined and it was found that this type of laneway configuration (a wide laneway running between two rows of houses at the rear) for the most part is not found there.  Only one example of this type of layout has been found in the Tallaght area and this is in St Maelruan's Park, this laneway will be inspected in the coming days to establish it's current condition and any action that might be required.

There are several gated laneways in Council built estates within the remit of the Estate Management Section, these laneways were gated at the request of the local residents mainly due to anti-social behaviour.  As access to these laneways is restricted responsibility falls upon residents to maintain the laneways to ensure their access is continued.  Gated laneways are not subject to a maintenance schedule. When reports of dumping or over vegetation are received, an inspection is carried out by our Estate Management Team and if required the gated laneway will be added to a cleansing and/or spraying schedule. At present the Estate Management Section address the cleansing of laneways on a need’s basis particularly around Halloween when laneways are often used to store materials.  Estate Management can organise once off cleansing providing the laneway is being utilised and subject to having the funds to do so.  The Estate Management team do not deal with gated laneways in private estates. 

In addition to the above the Council's litter wardens inspect laneways where illegal dumping has been reported and in some instances this will lead to regular patrols of certain areas.  Where a litter warden, elected representative or residents request the cleaning of a laneway this is inspected and arranged on a once off basis if deemed necessary.