Three dog fouling fines issued by council

NEW data collected by Vision Ireland has revealed that South Dublin County Council issued only three dog fouling fines in 2025.

This information has been shared by Vision Ireland as part of the Clear Our Paths campaign, which raises awareness of everyday obstacles faced on footpaths, including dog waste, and is urging the public to take action.

To mark Clear Our Paths, a survey of 220 people who were blind or vision impaired explored the issue of footpath obstacles and found that 99 per cent of respondents were impacted by temporary obstacles such as dog waste.

Not only does dog fouling present a slipping hazard, but it can also be a major problem for long cane users whose canes are dirtied by faeces. When folded up, this poses a hygiene and health risk.

Respondents to the survey provided insights into the effect dog fouling has on their day-to-day lives. One person said: “If dog foul gets on the ball of my cane, I am unable to see it to clean it myself. It can end up on my hands when I fold my cane.”

Vision Ireland is imploring dog owners to act responsibly and consider other users of shared footpaths, including people who are blind or vision impaired.

This campaign comes shortly after an increased fine for dog fouling came into effect on September 1, which will see an on-the-spot fine of €250 for those found to be responsible.

The majority of people surveyed, at 77 per cent, believe that this increase will not make a difference to the dog fouling they experience each day.

Cars parked on footpaths also pose serious hazards and affect the ability of people who are vision impaired to navigate public spaces, with 69 per cent of survey respondents said that they are the common obstacle which blocks their route when using a path.

A further 65 per cent of people identified parked cars as the obstacle which causes them the greatest difficulty when navigating footpaths.

Head of Policy and External Affairs at Vision Ireland, Kevin Kelly, said:

“The number of fines issued for illegally parked cars shows the scale of the problem. We also know there are many dog owners who still do not pick up after their pets. These are serious health and safety issues for people who are blind or vision impaired.

“Vision Ireland would like to see increased monitoring and enforcement, but we know that fines alone will not solve the problem. All members of the public need to take responsibility and consider the needs of people who are blind or vision impaired”.

Vision Ireland’s #ClearOurPaths campaign is running across social media until the end of October, highlighting the experiences of people who are blind or vision impaired and the everyday obstacles they face on footpaths.

The charity is encouraging others to join in by sharing on their social media, and promoting awareness of the impact obstacles have and the actions which the public can take.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme