Council spend on graffiti revealed

DUBLIN City Council has spent

?¬1.5 million removing graffiti across the city since 2009 according to figures obtained by Dublin North West TD, John Lyons (Lab).

A total of

?¬288,773 has been spent up to September of this year, with over

?¬30,00 of that going on removing graffiti in Dublin North West.

Deputy Lyons says innovative solutions are now needed to tackle the problem.

“We can’t continue to foot a bill of

?¬1.5million,

? he said.

“Graffiti is an example of a ‘quality of life crime’ that has a social cost as well as a hefty bill for our city. It can be a slippery slope for an area and goes hand in hand with dumping and other forms of anti-social behaviour.

?

In its response to Deputy Lyons, the council admitted there were no

“specific or dedicated strategies

? to engage with young people to prevent graffiti.

“The Council does however play a very active part in the Green Schools program and employs a dedicated Green Schools Officer for this function,

? the council’s response reads.

“Her primary role is to liaise with pupils in over 330 primary and secondary schools in the promotion of environmental awareness, protection and conservation through education and recycling.

?

Deputy Lyons believes there’s room for more engagement with youngsters to help prevent graffiti.

“The Council spends approximately

?¬300,000 a year in removing graffiti city wide, mostly through fees to private contractors,

? he said.

“To put that into context, that’s about the cost of providing new dressing room complexes, like the new facilities opened this year in Johnstown Park, in two other local parks.

“If we look at the cities such as New York – who in fairness have much more serious problems with graffiti – they created citywide task forces and anti-graffiti coordinators who have reduced graffiti through enforcement, education and clean up.

?