Home News Fears that graffiti funding may have run out

Fears that graffiti funding may have run out

Sunday, 01 March 2009

DUBLIN City Council has run out of funding for key graffiti removal programmes, a Northside councillor has claimed. Cllr Anne Carter (Lab) told Northside People she has been informed that no more graffiti will be removed by Dublin City Council unless it is seriously offensive or on its property. “It is clear that nearly all of the service and utility boxes throughout the North Central Area have been defaced,” Cllr Carter stated. “It is extremely difficult to find out who owns these boxes or different walls. “Therefore, action by the city council to remove this appalling defacement of our local environment is critical. “But we are going backwards not forwards when it comes to tackling graffiti as our local North Central Area office will no longer be able to take the initiative and clean up graffiti throughout local neighbourhoods.” The Donaghmede ward councillor added that it was “extraordinary” that this absence of essential funding for anti-graffiti programmes is taking place under a Green Minister for the Environment. Cllr Carter is calling on Minister John Gormley to urgently ensure that anti-graffiti programmes are properly funded in the North Central Area to support local residents in maintaining their environment. Brian McDowell, one of Labour’s candidates in the Donaghmede ward for the local elections, said it was incredible that money could run out for the programmes. “Given the plague of graffiti that we currently see across the whole of the Dublin North Central Area, funding needs to be greatly increased to help communities address this appalling anti-social activity,” stated Mr McDowell. A spokeswoman for Dublin City Council told Northside People: “Graffiti is and still will be cleaned off by the council.”