30 successful prosecutions for littering in South Dublin

UP TO 30 successful prosecutions for littering in South Dublin County were heard in the District Court during the month of November 2021.

There were no district court sittings for extended periods in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid and the need for more judicial appointments, leading to a rollover of cases when they could be heard.

Delays in getting cases heard during the Covid has also led to some criminal cases getting trial dates in late 2023 and early 2024.

At the recent Clondalkin area meeting, Mayor Peter Kavanagh (Ind) asked the council for the total number of successful prosecutions for littering in the county over the last three years (2019-2021).

According to SDCC, in 2019, there were 19 prosecutions for littering in the county.

Only five prosecutions occurred in 2020 due to restrictions in court settings.

However, 2021 saw 30 prosecutions for littering in the county.

Mayor Kavanagh said: “I’m happy to see the council taking action on illegal dumping, and it’s clear that we all know there is a lot to be done, both proactively and reactively, to tackle this.”

In response to Mayor Kavanagh, SDCC said: “During 2020 and 2021 there were no District Court sittings for extended periods of time.

“The 30 successful prosecutions in 2021 were all heard in the District Court during the month of November, many of these cases were originally listed for hearing on various dates in 2020. Data on successful prosecutions is not currently recorded on the basis of LEAs (local electoral areas).