One hundred extra waste management staff are being recruited by Dublin City Council as part of its efforts to improve the conditions of the streets in the capital.
The number of areas that are cleaned on a 24-hour basis is being increased, six new litter wardens have been appointed and a new night patrol service has been launched to increase enforcement of litter rules.
In the coming weeks a ban on bin bags will also come into effect on 90 streets in the south city, including Aungier Street, Baggot St Lower, Chatham Street, College Green, Dame Street, Exchequer Street, Fleet Street, Grafton Street, Kildare Street, Molesworth Street, Nassau Street, Parliament Street, St Stephen's Green and Temple Bar.
For those who cannot fit a wheelie bin outside their premises, two compactors will be put in place on St Stephen’s Green and Temple Bar, which people will be able to access using a fob.
Launching the litter awareness campaign, Dublin City Council said it is responding to the increased challenge of waste management in the city because of a rise in population, economic activity and events across the city.
The council said in the coming weeks that it will have 150 people working in three teams from 6am to 9pm, seven days of the week.
It added the numbers of areas that receive a 24-hour cleaning service will be increased over the next 10-12 weeks.
Later this year, new additional staff will also be deployed to clean in suburban areas.
The council also said it is investing €8.5 million in upgrading its waste management fleet, which includes dozens of new road sweeping vehicles.
Speaking at the launch, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam said: "No city can stay spotless unless everyone takes responsibility.
"The council has expanded its resources and equipment to do more than ever before, but keeping Dublin clean is a shared responsibility, and we all need to play our part."
'Complex process'
Dublin City Council’s Executive Manager responsible for the environment said the plan to deliver a cleaner Dublin has been "a complex process".
Derek Kelly said council recruited additional litter wardens, of which two will assigned to the nighttime economy.
"We're issuing a new explanatory booklet on by law requirements to all the businesses in the city, setting out their obligations in relation to presentation of waste and cleaning outside our premises," he said.
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Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland, Mr Kelly said the council is also collaborating with waste removal companies to limit the amount of waste the businesses can put in plastic bags that are left on the streets.
He added that he hopes "the current derogation allowing businesses to use plastic bags will be removed within the next two weeks".
"I'm hoping the next two to three weeks, we will have compactors at two locations within the city centre that would allow us to lift the derogation from a pilot area of 90 streets surrounding Grafton Street," he said.
"That will then outlaw the presentation on plastic bags," he added.
Mr Kelly said businesses will have two options following this, firms can either carry their waste to the compactors or arrange for it to be collected.
"At each location, there'll be two compactors, one for dry, mixed recycling," he said, adding the other would be for residual waste.
"There will be one based at Stephen’s Green and one just off Dame Street," he said.
"If you have more than one bag, you make an arrangement which will collection provider," he added.
