COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 14, 2026

QUESTION NO. 31

QUESTION: Councillor J. Sinnott

To ask the Chief Executive to outline South Dublin County Council's approach to dealing with abandoned cars and vehicles.

REPLY:

All reports of Abandoned Vehicles received are investigated in the first instance by the Council's Litter Warden Service. The outcomes of most of the reports received, falls into four broad areas as follows:

  1. The vehicle is either moved after the owner is contacted by the Council or the vehicle is not at the reported location when investigated.
  2. The vehicle is in use or being sold/put back on the road by the owner
  3. It is deemed to be a matter for An Garda Síochána to investigate under the Road Traffic Act
  4. Relates to parking issues

Under Section 71 of the Waste Management Act, 1996, as amended an abandoned vehicle is described as a vehicle left in such circumstances or for such a period that it is reasonable to assume that the vehicle has been abandoned. The following steps are taken under the legislation:

  1. Investigation of vehicle reported
  2. Ownership checks & enquires
  3. Communications with the owners (where known)
  4. Removal of abandoned vehicles.

Once all statutory notice periods have expired and the necessary approvals have been obtained, a final inspection is carried out. If the vehicle remains in place, removal arrangements are made.

It can take up to 12 weeks to complete the above procedure depending on its complexity and level of co-operation from other relevant bodies.

It should be noted that some complaints of "abandoned" cars are solely traffic related which are matters for the Gardai. Similarly, other reports relate to nuisance issues and are not in fact abandoned, such as:

For more information regarding abandoned vehicles, please see Abandoned Vehicles - SDCC