What a waste!

ILLEGAL dumping in parts of the Southside has cost Dublin City Council almost

?¬180,000 in less than three years, it has emerged.

The shocking cost of cleaning up the bags of litter that have been left strewn across the streets in the south of the capital was revealed when the city manager was asked a series of questions by Sinn Fein during a recent council meeting.

The manager was asked how many bags of illegal rubbish were collected in Dublin South Central for 2011, 2012 and so far in 2013; what was the cost per year for the collection; and what areas were worst hit.

In the city manager’s reply it was revealed that the number of bags of illegal rubbish and the estimated cost of collection in Dublin South Central for 2011 was 84,000 bags at a cost of

?¬70,800.

In 2012 the council picked up 75,000 bags at a cost of

?¬63,200 while 50,000 bags have been collected so far up to the end of April 2013 at a cost of

?¬41,000.

The areas worst affected by illegal dumping in the South Central Area included Tyrconnell Road, the South Circular Road, St Anthony’s Road, Eugene Street/Darley’s Terrace and Ashe Street.

Sinn Féin’s Ballyfermot representative, Daithí Doolan, described the dumping as

“criminal

?.

“This city is facing financial meltdown but the public has to pay hundreds of thousands of euro to collect illegally dumped rubbish,

? he said.

“Across the city it has cost

?¬182,000 to collect 100,000 bags of illegally dumped rubbish so far this year.

“The scourge of illegal dumping is costing us far too much. This money would go a long way in our communities. It would be better off spent on parks, youth projects and recreational facilities.

“As the council stated, the areas worst affected include Tyrconnell Road, the South Circular Road and St Anthony’s Road. I have highlighted illegal dumping on Tyrconnell Road before and I will continue until the perpetrators are caught.

?

“Illegal dumping is wrong and should not be tolerated. If people see illegal dumping taking place they should immediately call the gardaí or Dublin City Council.

“We simply cannot afford to let those involved in illegal dumping get away with it any longer. It is costing us far too much.

?

Ray McHugh, Sinn Féin’s representative for the Crumlin/Kimmage area, also highlighted the Rafter’s Lane area in Drimnagh, which has become a notorious litter black spot.

“Since the introduction of bin charges the litter problem has got out of control, and this is contributing to a rodent problem for residents,

? he claimed.

Mr McHugh said he had received several complaints from residents of the area.

“Any person with knowledge of illegal dumping should inform the gardai or Dublin City Council,

? he added.