A DUBLIN CITY council committee will this week examine whether an increase in the number of ‘authorised’ officers could reduce breaches of laws on offences like dumping and dog fouling.
The proposal to the finance committee was made by councillor Paul McAuliffe who said the council does not have the resources to police many of the bye-laws it creates.
McAuliffe said that despite the work of officials, the city has seen an increase in illegal dumping, illegal signage on traffic poles, litter blackspots and dog fouling.
Every week I receive reports about illegal signs on traffic poles or properties which have turned into litter blackspots. Obviously we don’t have the resources to employ a bye-law police force but I believe there are other more creative ways we can authorise people to issue fines, without employing them as full time employees.
The Dublin councillor said we need to look at the network of community groups in the city or to other agencies like An Post who have a large number of people on the ground to see if the council can fund the expansion of authorised officers through “less traditional ways”.
According to McAuliffe, the process for enforcing fines through the courts has “proved costly and ineffective”.
“However if we can find a method of issuing on-the-spot fines which results in reducing many of the offences which detract from our public domain, that’s worth examining,” added the Glasnevin based Councillor.
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