| 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, which 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 said.
Source - The Irish Independent
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