Curragh clean-up costs €185,000 this year
Caravans at The Curragh during the summer
THERE has been a total of 92 illegal encampments on the Curragh Plains in the last five years, and the cost of litter removal for this year alone has been revealed as just shy of €186,000.
This was revealed today (6 November) from the office of Deputy Patricia Ryan TD following two Parliamentary Questions issued by her in recent weeks.
This in light of the persistent fly-tipping there, and the delay in a long-awaited Department of Defence report on the future long-term management of the Plains.
“My office has been dealing with numerous issues to do with the Curragh recently on behalf of constituents. We asked the following two Parliamentary Questions and received the corresponding answers,” said the Monasterevin TD.
On 23 October she asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he can clarify why there is a private firm engaged to clear litter from the Curragh Plains, and the cost of same.
“The Land Staff team, among other duties, carry out tidying of roadsides by regular litter picking along the verges which they convey to bins in their work yard,” the reply began.
“An external firm is contracted to remove waste stemming from illegal encampments and fly-tipping, [as was revealed in the Kildare Nationalist on 1 October].
“To date in 2024 the total cost, including VAT, spent with the contracted service provider for the removal of illegally dumped waste is €185,945”.
She later asked the Minister “to detail the enforcement measures for any breaches of the Curragh bye-laws in tabular form (see attached)”.
Deputy Ryan then asked how many illegal encampments the Curragh Rangers have engaged with and reported for the years 2020 to 2024 inclusive, in tabular form, to detail the enforcement measures for any breaches of the Curragh bye-laws”.
“The Curragh of Kildare bye-laws date from 1964 and detail the enforcement measures available in the event of a breach.
“Given the range of matters covered in this legislation, it is not possible to provide general information on the total reported number of infringements.
“While some information is captured on specific issues, in this regard, the data requested by the Deputy is not collated in the manner requested. However, the data requested on illegal encampments can be provided and is presented in the table”.
