Dublin City Council's decision to hand out free portable ashtrays to smokers has been criticised by the Green Party.
A spokesperson for the party said it would not be in favour of any initiative that encouraged people to smoke.
Council workers in Dublin are handing out free portable ashtrays to smokers today as part of anti-litter efforts in the city.
Dublin City Council hopes to hand out 20,000 ashtrays over the coming two weeks in an effort to stop smokers discarding cigarette butts on the street.
Just under one third of Dublin's litter problem is cigarette-related and throwing a cigarette butt on the ground could lead to a €125 on-the-spot fine.
Doctors' college backs smoking ban
Earlier, the Irish College of General Practitioners has said it strongly supports the Government's proposed ban on smoking in the workplace.
In a statement, the college said the Government must not roll back on its decision to introduce a complete ban.
It said a ban would contribute to a significant reduction in smoke related diseases and would free up resources in what it called the currently over-stretched primary care services.
