Glasnevin resident says DCC is ‘dismissing’ her safety concerns

A Glasnevin resident says that she is being “dismissed” by Dublin City Council and the public domain department after filing several complaints about local shops placing their rubbish on public space outside their property.

Bridget O’Neil of St Pappin Road says that earlier this year, the Eurospar shop on Ballymun Road, Glasnevin began to put its commercial bins on the footpath directly outside the shop, creating an unsafe environment for pedestrians and vehicles in the adjoining car park.

Dublin City Council says that the staff began placing their waste outside the shop due to a lack of space inside the store or out the back of the premises.

In an email to local elected representatives, Ms O’Neil said the area “could only be described as a slum like neighbourhood”.

“This retailer is using the public footpath and parking bays as storage areas for commercial waste bins, commercial transport cages, plant displays etc.

“All of these items are on display on a daily basis posing obstacles for the public,” she said.

In May, Dublin City Council, in coordination with the Eurospar erected a bin storage unit in one of the car parking spaces, outside of the shop, to accommodate the waste.

DCC says that Eurospar paid for the installation of the unit.

However, Ms O’Neil says that the storage unit is highly inappropriate and unsafe for the its location and was placed without proper planning permission or consultation with the local residents.

“I also raised noise pollution and safety issues.

“There is no loading bay, pedestrian crossing or proper disability parking space,” she said.

“I respectfully that the council consider these as initiatives that not only would enhance the area but improve the health and safety of the community.”

In her email to local politicians, Ms O’Neil says that the installation of the bin storage unit has caused a knock-on effect in the vicinity.

“Delivery trucks arrive at 5:30 in the morning, these drivers are unloading their vehicles with pallets trucks, creating immense noise, between engines, metal wheeled pallet trucks moving up and down in a metal truck, tailgates moving up and down,” she said.

Catherine Brophy Walsh, a public domain officer for DCC said that was “the considered opinion of this office that [the installation of the storage unit] this should eliminate the previous issues raised with regard to the bins being an eyesore and the problems experienced with illegal dumping at this location.

“The site is still in the ownership of DCC and has not been sold off. Permission for this installation has been given by me within my remit as a Public Domain Officer.”

In a short statement to the Northside People, Dublin City Council said: “The matter of planning does not arise, and the new bin shelter has actually enhanced the hygiene of the bins.

“The bins are now collected a couple of times a week which is considered sufficient following the installation of the new bin shelter.”