COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 13, 2026

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor J. Sinnott

To ask the Chief Executive how many residents associations and voluntary groups are currently enrolled with the Council's Community Clean-Up Programme?

REPLY:

The Environmental Awareness Section supports residents’ associations, community groups and youth groups that undertake local environmental improvement actions, including community clean-ups, painting enhancement projects and minor community landscaping. This support is provided through SDCC’s community-focused Social Credits Scheme, which recognises and rewards pro-environmental activity at local level.

In 2025, SDCC allocated over €62,000 to community groups through the Social Credits Scheme. From 1 January to 30 June 2026, the Environmental Awareness Section provided community clean-up materials to over 20 residents’ associations and voluntary groups. Materials provided included anti-litter signage, litter pickers, gloves, refuse sacks, biodegradable leaf bags and gardening tools.

Once a community clean-up event is scheduled and notified to the Environmental Awareness Section, SDCC’s Depot team arranges for the removal of bagged waste materials. In 2025, over 5,500 waste material collections were arranged in support of residents’ associations and voluntary groups participating in the Clean-Up Programme. Engagement has increased in 2026, with over 2,800 collections arranged to date.

In addition, 107 community groups registered for the National Spring Clean campaign in April 2026, during which over 425 collections were arranged to support local clean-up activity. This represents an increase on 2025, when over 75 community groups registered across South Dublin County and SDCC facilitated the provision of clean-up equipment and the collection of gathered materials.

SDCC also supports community clean-up activity through the removal of bonfire materials, the provision of pollinator bulbs, and the allocation of passes to Ballymount Civic Amenity Site during the Halloween period. Over 250 passes were provided to community groups in 2025. The “Bulbs Not Bonfires” initiative is scheduled to continue, with the autumn campaign to roll out in October 2026.

The council continues to fund projects such as PURE (Protecting the Uplands & Rural Environment) which was established back in 2006 to combat illegal dumping/fly-tipping in the Dublin/Wicklow Uplands.