REVEALED: The shocking extent of illegal dumping across parts of North Clondalkin

A MOTION calling for the introduction of a bin waiver scheme has been passed at South Dublin County Council.

The motion was proposed by Cllr Mark Ward (SF) following a report stating that there were almost 1,800 complaints of illegal dumping from June-August in the council’s administrative area.

Cllr Ward said the problem was “ripping the heart and soul out of communities”.

“Illegal dumping is having a detrimental effect on our communities,” Cllr Ward said.

“It is difficult to ensure that the children of today will become the adults of tomorrow that have a sense of pride in their communities when they have to pass discarded rubbish on the way to schools.

“Some areas that I represent have a bigger problem than others.

“Walking through some estates and to see household rubbish dumped on the streets where our children play is heartbreaking.

Illegal dumping is ripping the heart and soul out of communities.”

Cllr Ward said a bin waiver scheme was promised in the 2011 programme for Government.

“In the 2011 Fine Gael/ Labour programme for Government there was a commitment made to introduce a bin waiver scheme,” he said.

“This commitment was never met.  I am calling on Minister Denis Naughten to honour the commitment made in the 2011 programme for Government and introduce a national bin waiver scheme.”

Cllr Ward said it was “no coincidence” that the areas that he gets the most complaints from are some of the most disadvantaged in Clondalkin.

“I have seen a steady increase in illegal dumping in these areas,” he added. “I have no doubt that the introduction of bin charges is a major contributing factor to this increase.

“I grew up in North Clondalkin and we had many social issues such as unemployment, drugs, poverty and lack of amenities but it was clean in comparison to today.

“When I was playing street football I didn’t have to dribble the ball around discarded nappies and waste food to score a goal.

“I had a motion earlier this year calling for the council to retake the management of waste from the private sector.

“This was passed by the council, however, we were overruled by an executive decision.

“I want to be perfectly clear and reiterate my position that there is no place for illegal dumping in our areas, however, I genuinely believe that the introduction of a bin waiver scheme would have a positive impact in the most disadvantaged areas.

“The clearing up of the illegal dumping is costing the council a fortune each year with almost 1,800 complaints in the last three months.

“I believe that a bin waiver scheme would be cost effective.

“You cannot put a price on bringing up children in a clean, litter free area,” he aded.

“The sense of pride that this will instil in our latest generation will benefit society in years to come.”

Cllr Ward has set up a ‘North Clondalkin Litter Watch’ Facebook page to highlight the issue and to encourage locals to report what they see.

“We have set up this page to make it easier for everyone to report illegal dumping of litter,” he has written on the page.

“If you are out and about and come across some, take a picture post it here and we will report it asap.”