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DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL (DCC) may spend €1million a year in graffiti removal, but it’s not going away anytime soon.
Numerous attempts have been made to combat “tagging,” as it is called, such as anti-graffiti surfaces or street art installments in heavily-affected areas.
While everything is put under the umbrella term of “graffiti”, according to artists the term denotes a style of art rather than being another word for vandalism.
Recent figures released by DCC under the Freedom of Information Act show that roughly €1million is spent by the council on graffiti removal throughout the city each year. This can include any art in the public eye which hasn’t been commissioned or approved by the council.
This is broken down into around €700,000 for direct labour provision and around €300,000 for corporate contract costs each year.
The south central area saw the most spent in corporate contract costs in 2014 (over €85,000). However, the north central area consistently had the highest expenditure from 2015 onwards, with €80,000 in both 2015 and 2016, and €35,000 up to June 2017.
While the north central area had the highest total corporate contract costs for the period, with €275,000, the central area had the least with just over €128,000.
In terms of complaints about graffiti, the south east area council received the most, with 923 over the time period. The north central area council, in comparison, received 689 – a difference of 234.
The least amount of complaints came from the central and south central areas, which were 284 and 285 respectively over the time period.
Public reception
As a Dublin-based graffiti artist who paints commissioned installments, both public and private, Niall O’Lochlainn feels that despite the figures, public reception of his art is changing.
He references a piece he painted in Ballybough with other local artists, and how many who walked by commended the artists’ efforts.
“There’s definitely a more understanding view,” he says, and it’s now getting to the stage where people see spray paint as “the same as a paintbrush”.
DCC has used installments such as the one in Ballybough to combat extensive tagging in the past, and there is currently a legal graffiti wall surrounding the Bernard Shaw pub in the city centre. To Niall, however, no legal walls or installments are going to change the core essence of tagging.
“It’s more people like me that like the legal walls,” he says. “Some people are addicted to tagging… so, legal walls aren’t the solution for them.”
He feels tagging isn’t going to stop any time soon, and though he appreciates the artistic side of it, “there are definitely elements of disrespect in it, maybe more so than there are elements of art.”
Niall appreciates the artistic qualities enough to overlook this disrespect, and he says:
I’m glad tagging exists, in a way, because I love it. I love getting the DART and seeing everything go past; it’s inspiring.
In saying that, “it’s definitely an eyesore in spots”.
In a response, DCC said:
In an initiative to combat tagging in the city, DCC launched its Graffiti is a Crime, Think Don’t Tag campaign in February 2017.
DCC, in partnership with An Garda Síochána, teamed up with Cork animator Andrew James to produce a video and poster campaign raising awareness, particularly among a younger age group, that tagging is a criminal activity. The video was shown in Dublin cinemas over a six-week period after the launch.
The video was shown for another six-week period beginning in mid-August, and will be promoted in some Dublin schools from the start of the school year.
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I know this will probably get red thumbed but if one of the women is working, surely she can afford to at least pay for a hostel where they would be safe? Not to suggest that they shouldn’t protest, but if they’re unhappy, there are other options
I am finding it hard to be sympathetic they had weeks to find accommodation that they would have got rent allowance for……..
yeah they might have to move further afield than they liked but most people in Ireland have to move places for cheaper rent…….
sometimes in life you need to be accountable for yourself and your children and not be dependent on the state and what you are ‘Entitled’ to!
Instead of a sleeping in the county council get on daft get in contact with the local community welfare officer and be pro-active don’t wait for other people to look after your business!
@ Clíona – I agree fully with you. There are many organisations and agencies to help in these situations and women with children would be prioritised.
I think it’s a case of throw your dummy out of the pram until you get the 5 bed semi next door to the school!
Surely Dick Roche has a spare room?
Maybe John Brady does?
once you sign up ti the ras you are not allowed go back to rent allowance!!!! my friend found it very hard to find some where to take the ras when her landlord decided they wanted their house back
Sadly Cliona I totally agree with you … I supported three tenants on welfare and dole for over six months … They stoped paying rent claiming they had not received rent allowance … I reduced their rent and and did not charge them for central heating or piped TV … When I contacted to social welfare I discovered they all received rent allowance , fuel allowance , and medical cards and food vouchers from the St vincent de Paul ! It cost me €180.000 to have them removed and to clean up their mess . Never again !
Can I have a free house too?
Just to let you no that people who live in council houses do pay rent :-) :-) :-) :-)
I cant even afford to have one kid on two incomes, just really frustrating some people have 3 kids and no jobs and expect me to pay for everything.
Pay rent from the dole?
Maybe your just living beyond your means
Yes people do pay rent on dole :-)
No James I live within my means thats why I dont have kids I wouldnt be able to support.
The Fg party will love you maybe you should join them and draw up a plan were people should not be allowed children if their on the dole :-) :-) :-) :-)
So what you’re saying is that if you lose your income you’ll refuse state aid? I highly doubt it.
Coffee, why are you hiding your identity.
“Pay rent”
Ye €50 a week for a three bedroom house, they’re really making a sacrifice.
A two bed apartment in Bray is €800-900 a month.
Good on you Coffee got respect for the people like you!
Why do you have respect for him/her? You can have 3 kids on a good income, but what happens if you lose your job? Do we give the children away? I wish people would sit and look at the real picture instead of generalising a situation behind their keyboards.
Leonard I’m talking about people who have been on the dole the majority of their adulthood.
My husband works, we have 5 children and we pay our way!! it can be done, I think something is very wrong if you have two people working and they cannot afford one child!!
One of the ladies is working but she is a lone parent, as far as I am aware, the landlords wanted more money and the RA has set limits so if your house if over it then sorry you have to move! Then you have to try and find some were else that will accept RA before your move out! For these two ladies they could not find any were in time! B&B cost a lot of money and actually so do hostels it all adds up and who wants to live like that any way!! Why should they, they are right to make a stand!
I hope those who are quick to begrudge people on the dole or lone parents never find them self’s out of work or alone because then you will be very glad there is support out there when needed!!
50 euros is a lot of money to most people who have lost their jobs and have no other choice but to be on the dole:-) :-) :-)
Sure some people need help when they are out of luck.
But if you’re cutting your finances so closely that you will be on the street if you lose your job, you really shouldnt be having kids.
Maybe im the crazy one but my household is based around the fact that even if we both lost our jobs we wouldnt end up on the street.
Im sorry for thinkin ahead more then the next paycheck. My bad.
Maybe bring in forced sterilisation Coffee if you can’t afford children after their all their such a burden on you .:-) :-) :-)
Couldn’t agree more
he probably already works for government to troll these pages Sharon
yup ive just moved back from uk and i pay my rent out of dole money dont claim rent allowance you just have to lower your means
Me too
The most vocal contributors on this site tend to hide their identities Denise. Keyboard heroes!
Shhhhhhh
Like this guy John Collins or whatever his/her real name is ;)
John Collins. You wrote it yourself u dope. Whos the keyboard tough guy now…clown
I’m giving that comment a green thumb mr anonymous. Might cheer you up!
Your not well in the head
Since when do you need to know my name to know what I think? So you can harass me? Why so curious?
I thought were talking about the issue at hand but you’re very nosy into my private life.
Need my address as well or what?
Online equivalent of the “protestors” we constantly see on our tv screens with their standard issue uniform of track suit and hoodie with faces covered up. At least Journal.ie saw sense to remove your “pikey” comment
Good reply Sharon.
Can’t shut up can you warrior ? Bored of you now
Likewise Johnny Boy ;)
Niall your hardly revealing your own name are u!
I have a feeling there is more to this story than meets the eye.
Why were they asked to leave the RAS accommodation?
Where are the children – in care or with relatives?
The landlord decided not to continue with scheme when the contract ended. Prob thought they’d get more money.
I’d love to know their identities, something’s not right with this story and it seems like they’ve something to hide.
What’s the real story here?
Fair play to them and the councillor
there are loads of houses here in bray boarded up .the council are more worried about putting in new footpaths that are not needed than looking after the needy.
Think you mean the Bike lames John. Complete waste of money. They should of gone to the EU & enquired about using it on something more beneficial to the economy of the town like a cinema. Bray is dying.
Why should the council be responsible for supplying a cinema?
They aint.
Im saying trying to open a cinema in the town to pull visitors in which would help improve sales for businesses in Bray is better than spending a year digging up both sides of the path which businesses are on.
Fair play to John Brady for sticking up for these 2 women, who otherwise would have just been forgotten.
Throw them out. Everybody thinks they entitled to everything for free in this country. I break my back working for a living and these people want free houses etc… The list goes on. Sick of paying tax to support people like this who go off and have kids when they can’t afford themselves. I can’t wait to have kids but can’t afford to at the minute. If my wife got pregnant years ago wed be better off now…. Free house, child care etc. Sick of these scroungers
John dry you eyes would you, your an obnoxious tool. Who has a free house did u even read the article one of the women work and why should she have to bring her kids to a hostel with shared kitchen and washing facilities with people who addiction problems. Everyone has a right to a home, how many council houses are boarded up around the country?
Ah stop will ya. You obviously another waster sitting on your ass getting everything for nothing judging by that stupid comment. Hey I want a new house….. Can’t afford it. Oh wait its Ireland. Im entitled to a free 1
John want country do you live in? Council houses arent free for one but all no one is getting them. The government was too busy helping developers to build council houses now there are 100k on the waiting lists.
Tony the hostel in Rathdrum is used by tourists …. Hello
100k of ppl who dont deserve a free house. Yes Free…. Welfare is Money for doing fu@@king nothing. Yes some genuine cases but mostly scroungers. Throw in medical cards and child welfare. And sure if u want to have 4 kids , that’s fine we will find you a bigger house…..pathetic
The people of Bray council should be ashamed of themselves. Well done John Brady.
Why should we be ashamed of ourselves? I don’t understand.
no sympathy from me
I hope you are never homeless so.
Or me
John Brady is a councillor who does what he was elected to do and represents the people.Well done John.
Or is he someone who is taking advantage on a bank holiday for publicity.
If this was face value case wouldn’t other councillors be there?
So what if he’s doing this for publicity (I’m not saying that’s what he’s doing), at least he’s there for the 2 ladies. They would have been dragged out by now if he wasn’t there.
The comments on this thread sadden me. So many people proclaiming these women as spongers. Lads, here’s the truth of life, maybe these women are “spongers”, maybe the scam the dole of €100 a week, maybe they mistreat their children, maybe they once stole a car, etc, etc,. Maybe they’re honest, decent people, who fell on bad times and are protesting to protect those they love and car for.
Now, regardless of which scenario is true, how much “scrounging” have they done in a society where Apple pays no tax, we bail out billionaires to the tune of billions of euro, Sean Quinn steals €500 million from insurance policy holders and gets 9 weeks in jail. These people are destroying society, and yet our anger is reserved for two women who are homeless. This is exactly what the media and government aim for every day of the week, to divide and conquer, and everyone of displaying such inhumane bitterness have fallen for it. I despair.
Nice one Martin
Great post Martin
Well said Martin
Judging by the comments here empathy is dead
So being responsible for your finances and accommodation needs in a timely manner!
Empathy is alive for genuine cases, but the comments here indicate a widespread suspicion (rightly or wrongly) that all is not as it appears to be here…
Totally agree, surely if they had been given a letter saying get out immediately 4 weeks ago we would have heard about it before now?
I would totally be behind a woman and children who for no reason at all had to live in a hostel……
Accommodation was sourced but the lady in particular didn’t like the area so her only other option was a hostel!
#takeitorleaveit
I’m not disagreeing. Just wondering where you got this info? I would live to read more about this. Maybe the negative comments on here are justified or maybe not. All I know is that there are 3 kids that have no place to live and a hostel is no place for kids to be.
So the red thumbs suggest I am wrong for suggesting a hostel isn’t suitable for kids or because I asked where I could read more about this story? Weird people on here. Have a nice weekend everyone :)
Alot to say with very little facts or details, try reserving your position until you know exactly what you’re commenting on..
Some very judgmental ar#eholes!
I agree – there is information missing.
Bull. Take responsibility for your own actions. Crying that her free accommodation isn’t good enough for her. F%%k off.
Good luck girls keep the Faith
Could the two sinn fein boys not throw them a few quid from the nothern bank robbery?
Hugh, you sound as stupid in your post as you look in those glasses in your pic! Why don’t you give a mature comment on the fact that two women have to resort to such lengths in this day in age to secure a place of their own to call home instead of offering immature, pathetic comments against Cllrs that are actually standing up for those that need representation and help! Grow up Hugh, and take those glasses off!
Gimme gimme gimme
“This morning, a spokesperson for the council told TheJournal.ie that the premises had been locked for “security and insurance purposes” but that the protesters were free to leave at any stage.”
Locked to keep people out usually means people inside cannot ‘leave at any stage’. Pure BS
While Bray county councils statement might be correct now, the situation overnight is that the women were locked ianside and the Gardai were not allowing food or water in to them. (I’d a mate who headed down there around 3am)
@werejammin: Who needs food and water at 3am? (other than drunks on the way home from pub/club)
Eh hungry kids maybe?
Zooey just realised the kids weren’t there. Comment retracted :)
*sorry
Regardless of whether the children were there or not, if were a Garda on duty, I would not let somebody in at 3am to disturb 2 women probably asleep – it could be an unscrupulous reporter with some sandwiches and a flask of tea pretending to be a “friend” to get a story.
Locking the doors does not mean they could not leave – I would presume with a Garda on duty, all they would need to do is to come out to the door and ask somebody to let them out. No Garda will want to be accused of false imprisonment, even if ordered to do so by their superior or council official.
Dear oh dear, I never said he went there at 3am to bring them food and drink. He was told when he got there that the women were locked in and the Gardai had not allowed food or water to be sent into them.
So what you’re saying is, if I lose my job I shouldn’t be entitled to help? It’s shocking how selfish people have become in this country.
Maybe they don’t want to be stigmatised by the ignorant public.
Ignorant public….. The ones paying for all their free stuff. Get over yourself.
The council were crazy to give in to these freeloaders, any other country your on your own. Ireland has the most decent welfare in the world, and all these people do is have children to get a free meal ticket for life
Any other country you are on your own…What?? Social housing is available in practically every developed country. Jesus half of Hong Kongs population live in social housing.
If they did get notice 4 weeks isn’t a great deal of time to find decent accommodation. These people have fallen on hard times doesn’t mean they are scroungers or spongers god forbid anything bad ever happened to you
There could be sex offenders or worse im hostles. Some comments have really sickened me
Oh the vitriol from some very obviously “stable” people’s mouths.
You turn my stomach.
In the ras scheme, a person gets a guaranteed accommodation for 5 years, it is an agreement btwn private rented and council. They pay rent similar to a council house.
If you go on ras, you come off the housing list…this is the issue, these women want council houses, not private rented
Would a 5 bedroom detached on 10 acres with a pool and jacuzi suit? Who started this sense of entitlement to ‘want’ something and have it provided instantly by the state? Most people who want a decent house save for years for the deposit and pay through the nose for it for years down the line. Get real folks ,you are been taken for a ride with sob stories.
Some of the comments here are ridiculous and lack any shred of empathy. Rented accommodation is in short supply, rents have and continue to go up whil many landlords wont take rent supplement or RAS. The council make a commitment to people entering RAS to ensure they are housed, up until this sit in they had failed on that commitment.
Great result by John, Jess & Lesley. John says:
“Great result after staging a sit in of Bray Town Council for the last 26 hours we have victory. The girls and the children will be put up in emergency accommodation in Bray over the weekend, a meeting will take place on Tuesday next with a view of housing the girls in temporary accommodation until a permanent council house is allocated to them in Bray. Get result and the protest has ended”
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/383526_10200453927123127_1047847128_n.jpg
Yes sharon barry u tell him…
The 2 mothers have a accommodation allowance ,that is paid by the tax payer,it is 700 euro each per month,surly they can find something suitable .If they are Irish I will help in any way I can but I presume they are non nationals,if so let them go back to where they came from and see how they get on .
have your say