Offenders clean up their act with graffiti removal, (Irish Independent article, October 2009)
By Tom Brady Security Editor
Monday October 05 2009
Irish Independent
OFFENDERS are to be sent out onto the streets of Dublin to eliminate graffiti.
It is part of a plan to make better use of community service orders and also clean up the capital -- free of charge.
A pilot project set up by the Probation Service in the south Dublin County Council area has proved highly successful.
And as a result senior probation officials have decided to extend the campaign citywide.
The offenders will be supervised as they remove the graffiti and probation officers have already contacted all Government departments to inform them of the service.
The campaign will include a special emergency response unit, who will complete the clean up within 24 hours and two dedicated support vehicles, will be deployed across Dublin.
Welcoming the extension of the scheme, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said it would provide those on community service orders with an opportunity to give something back.
"Sadly, graffiti is a feature of all major cities. Its presence adds to the dishevelled appearance of any city and even covering Government offices alone would represent a significant block of city centre buildings," he added.
- Tom Brady Security Editor, Irish Independent
