Fly-tipping scourge targeted by the council

FINGAL County Council and An Garda Siochana have been involved in a multi-agency operation that targeted fly-tipping in Baldoyle.

Checkpoints were established at random locations and times across the area with officers from the council’s Environment Enforcement Unit being assisted by gardaí from Howth Garda Station, Divisional Crime Task Force, Traffic Corps and Armed Response Unit.

The aim of these checkpoints, which will continue over the coming weeks, was to identify unauthorised and bogus refuse collectors committing offences as well as members of the public who are availing of the illegal service being offered.  Both the unauthorised collectors and their clients can be subject to prosecution with fines and possible imprisonment under the Waste Management Act 1996 and the Litter Pollution Act 1997.

As a result of the Baldoyle operation, the council confirmed to Northside People that it made several seizures and is now actively seeking to identify the owners of this rubbish in order to prosecute them.

“Illegal dumping across Fingal is a serious issue and we are adopting a hardline attitude in relation to prosecuting unauthorised collectors as well as those who are employing them to dump their rubbish,” said a council spokesperson.

“The checkpoints in Baldoyle were extremely successful and we are grateful to An Garda Siochana for their support in mounting this operation.

“We would appeal to the public to report incidents of fly-tipping to the gardaí or to ourselves on our hotline number which is 1800 20 10 93.” Meanwhile, local TD Seán Haughey (FF) has expressed concern that large amounts of rubbish are continuing to be left in public spaces and on roadsides throughout the Northside.

 “The scourge of illegal dumping and fly-tipping is growing increasingly severe in Dublin Bay North,” he said

 “The coastal landscape and beaches, including Dollymount Strand, attract droves to our area but they are becoming blighted by fly-tipping.

"Over the past number of years we have seen a marked increase in illegal dumping on roadsides and laneways and a significant number of serious incidents have been reported to me already this year.

"Bags of household refuse are being dumped in widely used public spaces which are matters of public health concern that affects families and the broader environment.” Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Denis Naughten, recently announced a €650,000 national anti-dumping initiative nationwide, as well as €9 million for local authority enforcement. Deputy Haughey said he hopes a proportion of this funding will be allocated to respond to the issues in Dublin Bay North.

“Surveillance is essential in clamping down on this issue and we need to increase the resources that are currently available to properly police illegal dumping across Dublin Bay North,” he said.

“Unless the necessary resources will be allocated to implement the Minister’s plans, the problem will continue to persist.”

Referencing Fingal County Council’s successful initiative in Baldoyle, Deputy Haughey suggested that Dublin City Council launch similar operations to monitor illegal dumping in other Dublin suburbs over the coming weeks.