A “TURF WAR” between Dublin City Council and State bodies is resulting in a lack of bins in public parks in the capital, according to a local councillor.

Speaking to The Journal, Green Party councillor Michael Pidgeon described it as a “really frustrating issue”.

He said part of the problem is the tensions “within the council between different departments and different parts of the State controlling parks”.

“One group will say that bins in parks should come from their budget, and the other says the opposite,” said Pidgeon.

“Generally, because parks are run by either the OPW or a separate part of Dublin City Council, they’re responsible for providing their own bins, and often I find that’s where they’re most lacking, especially for people walking dogs.

“You don’t want to be carrying around dog fouling with you for a long time, so it’s reasonable that there would be a bin there for people to use quickly.”

Pidgeon said this “siloed thinking” is “immediately frustrating”.

“The place where bins are most effective and most needed is a public park, and they’re also one of the places where you’re least likely to find them,” said Pidgeon.

“It’s really maddening; the cost of installing a bin is negligible, it’s the cost really of maintaining and emptying it regularly.

“But it’s been a constant source of frustration that there’s this idea that because it’s in a park, it’s no longer one department’s problem.

“It’s a long-standing issue within the council that really frustrates me.”

In a statement to The Journal, the OPW said that the Dublin parks which fall under its remit are the Phoenix Park, St. Stephen’s Green, Iveagh Gardens and the War Memorial Gardens. 

“The current provision of bins is sufficient in the above-mentioned parks,” said the OPW spokesperson.

“The installation of bins in all other public parks in Dublin city and county is a matter for the local authorities.”

The spokesperson added that the OPW encourages everyone visiting Ireland’s parks and national historic properties to leave no trace behind. 

Dublin City Council has also been approached for comment.

Elsewhere, Pidgeon said that while the number of bins in the city centre has dropped in the past decade or so, this has not contributed to a litter problem.

He said that throughout the 2010s, the number of bins in Dublin city centre dropped from around 5,000 to 3,000.

“Part of the reason for that has been that bins are often something that people think are the way to prevent litter, but when you think about it, a lot of the people who choose to litter do so regardless of whether there’s a bin there.

“You’ll often see piles of rubbish on streets which are well provided for with bins,” said Pidgeon.

He said such public bins are “more about public convenience” and that they should be kept for that reason, but added that “they don’t really do the job in terms of substantially reducing litter on the street”.

“The kinds of people who litter will litter – even if there’s a bin 10 metres away, they’re not going to walk to it,” said Pidgeon.

“Most people don’t litter, but there’s virtually no one, I think, who would look for a bin, doesn’t find one, and then just decides to dump their rubbish on the street.

“That person doesn’t really exist.”