Residents in Sandymount have called for height barriers at local carparks to be raised as campervans are leaving behind rubbish which is attracting rats.
Locals claim campervans are coming to the three car parks to reach Sandymount promenade and staying several nights, often leaving their behind. David Turner is Chair of the Sandymount And Merrion Road Residents Association (SAMRA), and he said that the rubbish left in bushes is "attracting vermin like rats" from the beach.
Mr Turner told Dublin Live that the car parks in Sandymount are only meant for short-term use. He said: "I have nothing against campervans, it's nice to see activity and people enjoying the good weather. The only problem here is those short-term carparks with people coming and going all the time, bringing their dogs for walks on the beach.
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"They stay an hour or two at most to relax. Then in the middle of this you have campervans coming in and we've had rubbish left in bushes, and along the beach at Sandymount Strand attracting rats."
Mr Turner explained that the weekends are busiest with campervans coming into the area and that residents are worried about rats gathering in the area due to waste as the warm weather continues. "Once you see one rat, usually there's a whole family. It's a hygiene issue.
"We've written to the council and councillors to try nip this in the bud by putting up the height barriers because that's what they were there for. It was to enable the carparks to be short term for SUVS and cars."
Mr Turner explained that the height barriers to the entrance of the is still in place at the third local carpark, but that the others were removed or sustained damage during the Covid-19 pandemic. "This could be easily fixed by putting the height barriers into place.
"There aren't the facilities there [in the carparks] to take the rubbish, some of the campervans take it away. But if you go look in the bushes where some of the campervans are you'll see lots of stuff hanging in the bushes that's been left there or forgotten about.
"If you look on the tarmac in the carpark, you see the drain where they empty their wastewater." Mr Turner added that Dublin City Council and the residents are doing their best to keep the area clean.
"This is just about making sure the carparks are used for what they are intended for. There's three carparks on this part of the beach.
"It's intended for people to go enjoy a walk on the promenade, cycle, and whatever else they want to do. It's not intended as a trailer park."
Mr Turner explained that SAMRA was set up in 1962 and is one of the oldest residents association in Dublin, with a focus on the environment, local planning and community events.
"A few weeks ago we were also engaging with councillors about sewage onto Sandymount Beach. We're also active in terms opposing Dublin Port's expansion, there's an agenda there with getting flood defences sorted out and the association is very active." For more information on SAMRA and their community work you can visit www.samra.ie
Dublin Live has contacted Dublin City Council for further comment.
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