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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.”
It’s more like the bins get stuffed with household rubbish by the “I won’t pay for nothing” brigade.
@Dave Connolly: funny thing is as taxpayers we actually pay quite a bit for nothing. Property tax one glaring example, we probably should get bins covered for that, or at least a full credit against our taxes.
@Jack: we must be the only country that people don’t get anything for our property tax it’s beyond a joke at this stage how much the hard working people of this country are getting screwed with endless taxes on everything
@Dave Connolly: Well in fairness we pay for plenty and get very little in return, as someone already pointed out things like the property tax, cos where I live we have no parks, street lights etc……also you may want ask the HSE and revenue where the money from the sugar tax has gone, been a few years and there seems to be nothing to help drive down dental costs or whatever the excuse the ban it all brigade puked up when they suggested it as an idea
@CP: Perhaps except for Parks, Public Lighting, footpaths, sewage, drainage, Libraries, Community Centres, Public events, housing maintenance, road signs, traffic improvements and I could go on.
@Dermot Lacey: yes, but apart from Parks, Public Lighting, footpaths, sewage, drainage, Libraries, Community Centres, Public events, housing maintenance, road signs, traffic improvements… what have the Romans ever done for us!?
This isn’t just a problem limited to Dublin. I take my dogs for walks on the Carlingford-Omeath greenway and have had to carry bags of dog poo around with me for over four kilometres at times. There are plenty of “no littering” and “no dog fouling” signs, but no means of disposing of anything between Carlingford marina and St. Jude’s shrine. There should be a bin every 500-750 metres along the path. It’s clear councils just don’t want to pay anyone to lift it, though.
@Philip Dunlop: no bins on lots of hikes I’ve done in Ireland too but it’s unreasonable to expect them to be everywhere especially off the beaten track. I just keep littler in my bag in these instances.
Well don’t let OPW do it the cost would be in tens of millions
If you can bring it with you, you can bring it back and bin it responsibly. There’s no excuse for littering.
@Luke Littler: 2 crimes, littering and not picking up their dogs poo
@Luke Littler: you see the stuff that is in those dog fouling bag??
That’s you Luke,that poop is you
@Luke Littler: Attention seeking as usual
One major thing i notice In our cities and towns is a lack of bins and the few we have are always full. Was in Manchester only 2 weeks ago and there are bins everywhere around and empty with loads of people around cleaning.
@Martin Ridge: that’s the problem in our in the county councils are just plain lazy leaving bins overflowing everywhere and the city is becoming an absolute dump but of course they will just sit back and drink tea in the canteen get paid go home rinse repeat and do nothing about it
Funny how Australia has bins hundreds of kilometres out in the outback, that are even regularly maintained and emptied. But DCC etc can’t even make a plan to get it done in urban parks.
@Michael Ryan: Hillarious
Public bins and public toilets are treated as a luxury in Dublin and probably most towns and cities un Ireland. It is such a basic necessity for a city, but not in Ireland, of course.
@G: totally agree. Basic necessities. Council workers too lazy and councils won’t spend the money
Turf war, ffs
@David O Brien: We are actually paying a salary, holiday pay, sick pay, pensions etc to the pathetic individuals in these Quangos!
@Nick Bowie: What Quangos or are you just trying to sound edgy by using the word Quangos.
As there are none involved in this issue!
Our public services are just wonderful
By the way if any of them are reading this – the outside clock at Connolly Station has been stopped for a year, and the bus timetable run by T.F.I. hasn’t worked for 6 months
But no rush lads, take your time.
@Gerry Kelly: The clock is broken and the parts are not available! I know as I asked.
TFI/NTA are like a handbrake on a canoe, that is a given!
Can we start fining those people who leave their dog poo bags on the ground or hanging a tree.
@Jack: If they could be identified, yes.
I walk my dog twice daily in a large local park and while I spot discarded dog poop bags I have never come across a person doing this
@socheallaigh: that’s why we need Park wardens but of course the park wardens are down in the canteen drinking tea as per usual not doing their job to serious lack of regulation in this country is ridiculous as there is poo bags left absolutely everywhere
Don’t let the OPW in charge of it anyway. It’ll probably cost us tax payers €250M and not a bin would be seen.
You can comment on bins but not on Islamists running round Europe killing people. How very ‘liberal’. How very ‘Journal’. Censorship at its finest. Oireland 2025…
@Kieran Conroy: Because of people like you!
@Gary Kearney: Oh you’re SO ‘liberal’. You wouldn’t mouth off if it was one of your family. Oireland – virtue-signalling capital of the world.
@Kieran Conroy: “Oireland”….so edgy. Get yourself over to X for some free speech.
@Sal Paradise: Why? No free speech in Oireland?
@Kieran Conroy: Lack of education for the people like you is the problem.
@Sal Paradise: Do you “liberals” (sic) condone these Islamic murders?
@Kieran Conroy: Best to ask the liberals. Maybe suggest a journal poll?
Plenty of money for bike shelters and security huts though.sh!theads
@Ethan Gannon: Are you confused. Dail Eireann has noting to do with DCC!
Japanese have a policy of no bins and every one brings their rubbish home. They have no litter. This is a mentality that is taught from an early age.
Everyone should be able to account for their own rubbish disposal. Should be enforced and checked a lot more than tv licences. We tolerate way too much of other people’s mess in this country.
It’s down to pure laziness by the county council not able to do their jobs and empty the bins regularly hence being overflowing in most places they need to do their job and maintain public areas property and have sufficient amount of bins around the regions Dublin is becoming a dump
In South Africa you get many large bins with advertisements on them I suspect to cover costs. Also on some street signs you get ones on a square pole above would be advertising.
Lol, 100′s of thousands of commuters sitting in endless traffic, what are the Greens talking about?? Bins in the park.
@Thesaltyurchin: Sitting in traffic was caused by the greens. So they try not to mention that. They will shout about the cycle lanes and the roads closed off!
Po o p bag trees. Left on the ground, in bushes. Hard to see in Autumn leaves but sure leaves a mark on your shoes, car, ptam, bike, scooter, football etc. Scu m who dont scoop and bring home.
@I Am: I don’t understand the poop bags in trees thing? Do people really go out of their way to pick up the poop(which is the really disgusting bit), then go out of their way to tie them to a tree? Why? I mean, surely it’s easier to put them in a bin, no? So maybe if there were more bins, there would be less poop trees. Nah, I’m probably widely off the mark.
Take home your own rubbish
@Shane O Mac: I used to spend a few days off during a summer just walking to the Phoenix Park to chill out. Would get a coffee and sandwich in Castleknock along the way. From Castleknock gate, there was no bins along Chesterfield avenue until get near to the zoo. That’s maybe a 3km straight road.
On returning home with my rubbish,including the cigarette ends, from exiting that gate, I think could count 24 in about that same distance.
Ironically, along the Park walk I would somehow see less rubbish than on the roads and verges along the way back.
We British dont use turf.
@Shan Mohangi-Just Eat: What about the Crofters in Scotland and the extraction in Exmoor.
@Shan Mohangi-Just Eat: I loved in Shetland for 14 years ,we cut turf /peat each year…. Luke
@sean weir: *lived
@Shan Mohangi-Just Eat: firstly Shan mohangi was not Britishbut South African and you are a sicko to even use that name
Folk are hoarding plastic bottles and the like now, no room for rubbish and hence they are dumping their rubbish in these bins, plus plastic bottles are a business for the immigrant folk now, money in the pocket not in the bin.
Bring your own rubbish home, simple.
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