COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, March 24, 2025

QUESTION NO.

QUESTION: Councillor J. Spear

Can the manager please report on the plan for Kiltipper Park, Tallaght to reduce use of scramblers in an anti social manner?

REPLY:

The preliminary work on phase 2 of improvements to Kiltipper Park began in October 2024, with works progressing through 2025. This work will include the construction of an extended car park; footpath and northern pedestrian entrance improvements; sports pitch construction & associated drainage; construction of a new viewpoint area; hedgerow rejuvenation works; and all associated ancillary site drainage and landscaping works.

The sporadic use of scrambler bikes in South Dublin parks is an issue that SDCC have been tackling with the assistance of the Gardai since before the implementation of current improvements at Kiltipper Park. Before the current improvements to the park “Anti-motorbike barriers” were in place. As the council have seen at countless locations over the years including at Kiltipper; these barriers were ineffectual at reducing or indeed preventing access by scramblers or motorbikes, however they did act to reduce access by legitimate bicycle users / wide buggies / prams and others. Most worryingly, we received communications from local wheelchairs users that they were excluded from the park by these barriers.

The current entrance points are designed to be universally accessible, specifically to facilitate wheelchairs, of which there are several users in the area. In addition Kiltipper Park is part of the Dodder Greenway which allows for shared use by pedestrians and cyclists in a pedestrian priority environment. It is not feasible to restrict or reduce the size of access points under these circumstances. We have had some communications with residents in the area who inform us that the use of scramblers in the park has decreased since the increase of more legitimate uses of the park by visitors due to the improvements to access, footpaths and so on, however the issue does re-occur from time to time. SDCC has contacted Tallaght Garda Station and the Community Gardai to request patrols to be carried out in the park. It is envisioned that current and future improvements will continue to encourage an increase in the number of legitimate park users, consequently resulting in a reduction of this and other types of anti-social behaviour in Kiltipper Park; however SDCC will continue to monitor this situation and keep it under review. The recent actions of central govenment facilitating the Gardai to sieze scrambers being used illegally in parks and open spaces will also assist in this regard and we encourage anyone with information on the illegal use of scramblers in South Dublin parks to contact publicrealm@sdublincoco.ie and An Gardai Siochana at Tallaght Garda Station.