THERE was no revenue for Limerick City and County Council last year out of just three dog fouling fines issued in the city.
In 2022, a total of five dog fouling fines were issued and revenue of €600 was collected by the local authority.
Responding to a question from Labour councillor Joe Leddin at last month’s Metropolitan District meeting, senior council engineer Aidan Finn said that a new campaign will be launched this year to raise awareness about dog owners’ responsibilities to clear up after their pets.
Mr Finn pointed out that it is an offence under Section 22 of the Litter Pollution Act 1997 to allow a dog under your control to foul a public place.
“A litter/dog warden can issue a fixed penalty fine for dog fouling under the Act, however the burden of proof is high. Prosecutions can be difficult as the litter or dog warden must witness the incident and the dog must be connected to a person at the time of the offence,” he explained.
Where members of the public report a fouling incident, they must be willing to give evidence in court and many, Mr Finn opined, are reluctant to do so.
Last summer, Labour councillor Joe Leddin called on environment officials in the council to increase the annual budget to €100,000 in an attempt to reduce incidences of dog fouling on public footpaths.
Despite the placement of signage warning of fines at various locations, Cllr Leddin believes that Limerick does not have enough red coloured bins to facilitate the disposal of dog waste.
As well as an increase in bins in Limerick, Cllr Leddin also wants to see a weekly reliable collection and emptying of the bins across the county.
He said that he has received numerous calls from dog owners stating that the existing bins, including the one located opposite County Hall on the Dooradoyle Road, is regularly full, with bags of dog waste lying around the footpath and smelling.
“Fouling of footpaths and our parks is also a health hazard and the appearance of dog poop completely spoils our enjoyment of civic spaces,” he concluded.
