Council already preparing for illegal Halloween bonfires

Measures are already being put in place ahead of Halloween to tackle illegal bonfires.

Free recycling collection and mattress amnesty days, liaison with local community groups and community activities as alternatives to bonfires are just some of the measures being implemented by South Dublin County Council to tackle bonfires during the coming months.

The council was asked to outline their plans “ahead of the Halloween season to tackle the issues around fires, dumping and other activities which are being expected” by Cllr Adam Smyth (FF) at the monthly council meeting on Monday, September 8.

Estimates from the council shared earlier this year put the cost of illegal bonfires in the Tallaght area during Halloween 2024 at €65,000.

In response to Cllr Smyth on Monday, SDCC director of climate action, Teresa Walsh, said the council had developed a cross departmental approach “utilising the services of Public Realm, Waste Enforcement, Environmental Awareness, Library Services, Housing and Community Services Departments to prevent damage and promote the “Safe Halloween” message”.

“The council recognises the challenges that Halloween presents for many communities through the illegal burning of waste on Halloween bonfires, the damage to local amenities, and the threat to property and local services,” she said.

Their response to Halloween for this year will involve awareness campaigns about the dangers of bonfires, and the funding of community activities “intended to divert children away from bonfires and other anti-social behaviour”.

The Public Realm department will liaise with An Garda Síochána and local resident groups to identify and remove stockpiles of bonfire materials throughout September and October.

A number of measures are in place to ensure pallets, mattresses, tyres and other waste materials that would be used as bonfire materials are properly disposed, in conjunction with local businesses and the council’s social enterprise partners RecycleIT.

RecycleIT will run a number of collection days for electrical items and mattresses across South Dublin prior to Halloween.

The council has also implemented a “Bulbs not Bonfires” scheme through their Social Credit Scheme, which provides communities with “flowers in the spring instead of scarred open space throughout the year”.

Ms Walsh said the council had spent an estimated €2,500 per year on bulbs for the “popular scheme” and that a similar sum would be spent again this year.

The social credits scheme will once again facilitate groups who are registered on the scheme with the disposal of materials at the Council’s civic amenity site in Ballymount.

These measures will help to “reduce the amount of materials being handed over for bonfires”, Ms Walsh said.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme