Resident refuses to pay litter fine

A SOUTHSIDE resident is refusing to pay a fine she
received from South Dublin County Council for allegedly over-filling her
domestic waste bin.

Tracey Kelly, from Deansrath, is just one of an
increasing number of people in the Clondalkin area who has received fines from
the council regarding overflowing bins.

A spokesperson for the local authority said that of
the 399 fines issued by its litter wardens last year a total of 303 were in
relation to overflowing bins.

The council no longer collects household waste
following the awarding of its contract to Greyhound in 2010.

Ms Kelly said the council issued her with a fine of
e75 in early December when its litter warden claimed her wheelie bin was
overflowing. However, she disputes this and says she is prepared to fight the
fine in court.

“The bin wasn’t even filled,

? she claimed.

“There was
loads of room at the top. It was just a bag of rubbish that was left in the bin
and the lid was left slightly open. In the photograph that the guy from the
council showed me there was loads of room around the edge of the top of the
bin.

“I got a fine
for

?¬65 but it’s ridiculous. I haven’t done anything wrong.

?

Sinn Féin representative, Eoin � Broin, said he had
been contacted by a large number of people from the Bawnogue area who received
litter fines on the basis that their bins were over filled.

“The fines were accompanied by photographs which
clearly showed that either the bins were not overfilled or that the amount of
overfill was very small,

? he said.

“The decision to issue these fines is a disgrace.
There is no offence being committed. These fines are punitive and completely
unjust.

?

Maire Ni Dhomhnaill, project manager at the
Environmental Services Department of the council, said the local authority had adopted storage,
presentation and collection of household waste byelaws in 2007.

“There are regulations on the storage of waste,

? she
said.

“The litter wardens have been implementing the bye laws recently.

“Last year we adopted a litter management plan for
2011 to 2014,

? she added.

“We are trying to achieve a litter free county with
the cooperation of businesses and residents. Obviously the area of enforcement
partnership is one of the key areas in the prevention of littering.

?