41 burnt out cars removed by council – 35 from Tallaght area
By Mary Dennehy
Over the past four months, South Dublin County Council has removed 41 burnt out cars from public spaces countywide – 35 of which have been in Tallaght.
The most recent burnt out vehicle removed was from the Bancroft Park-end of Tymon Park, after park users came across the car on Sunday morning (April 28).
A car burnt out in Bancroft Park last week close to a stream
The council confirmed to The Echo that its crews removed the car on Monday, April 29.
Over recent months, The Echo has published a number of articles on the impact burnt out cars is having on estates, community green spaces and playing fields, and the dangers posed by the joyriding that sometimes precedes the car being set alight.
In February, The Echo also reported on a car being set alight on a pedestrian bridge at Tymon Park, which resulted in part of the M50 being closed.
When contacted by The Echo this week, South Dublin County Council confirmed that so far this year 41 burnt out cars have been removed from public spaces across the county – that’s an average of ten cars a month.
Of the 41 cars removed, 35 have been in Tallaght.
In 2017, the council experienced a 245 per cent increase in the reports of burnt out cars in communities – after reports jumped from 53 in 2016 to 183 in 2017.
Despite a reduction in 2018, the council still received 130 reports of burnt out cars across the county.
According to Teresa Walsh, Director of Environment, Water and Climate Change with the council: “The cost of removal of each burnt out vehicle includes staff and fleet resources, contractor costs and the cost of clean-up and re-instatement.”
