Council action cuts Dunsink dumping

AS MUCH as

?¬250,000 has been spent clearing up illegal dumping on a notorious Northside laneway over the past five years. But a CCTV system installed last year is slashing the clean-up bill by up to 90 per cent.

Dunsink Lane in Finglas has long been a costly thorn in the side of local authority officials because of persistent, illegal dumping. However, the situation has improved significantly in recent months since security cameras were erected at the laneway to catch illegal dumpers.

Before the introduction of the security system, up to

?¬40,000 was spent each year clearing up dumped material on the laneway.

The cameras have been an effective deterrent as so far this year less than

?¬4,000 has been spent on maintaining the lane – and that includes the cost of servicing the CCTV system.

A spokesperson for Fingal County Council explained how significant sums of money have been spent since the lane was closed to through traffic.

“Mid to late 2011 saw the last of these major clean ups which coincided with the installation and commissioning of CCTV monitoring at the laneway,

? the spokesperson told Northside People.

“The CCTV camera installation started on June 13, 2011 and was completed at the end of that month.

“Removal of all illegally dumped waste began on the lane on June 27, 2011.

“The clean up costs were around

?¬52,000 for plant and machinery while the cost of the steel structure, five cameras and the installation of the CCTV, including all ground works, was

?¬97,000.

?

Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council shared the cost of the CCTV installation equally.

“Since the installation of this equipment there has been a marked decline in the amount of illegal dumping in the area,

? the spokesperson continued.

“The lane is now inspected regularly by waste enforcement officers as well as litter wardens and is now included on a regular schedule by the operations department.

“Other than some servicing to the CCTV system and some limited clean -ups, the expenditure has been in the region of

?¬3,000 to

?¬4,000 in 2012.

?

Litter louts have also been targeted by litter wardens who scoured through dumped rubbish last year to identify the culprits. As a result 53 fines were issued under the Litter Pollution Act.

“The situation is kept under review by both Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council and recent signs have been encouraging. However, it is the joint view that it is too early to contemplate a possible re-opening of the laneway,

? the Fingal County Council spokesperson concluded.

Local TD Dessie Ellis (SF) praised the councils in their efforts to tackle the illegal dumping on Dunsink Lane.

“It just goes to show that where there’s a will, there’s a way,

? he said.

“There’s no doubt that there have been significant savings and that has to be commended, although I would now ask that the council opens the lane up to traffic as it once was.

“This would return it to a main thoroughfare to Castleknock and would significantly alleviate traffic congestion in Finglas and Cabra.

?