The Lord Mayor has requested more bins and toilets to be made available in Dublin city.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu has said there will be “more facilities in place” this Bank Holiday weekend in Dublin city.
Her comments come amid ongoing discussion regarding large gatherings which occurred in Dublin’s City Centre on Saturday.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan said he was “absolutely shocked” after what he described as a “major open-air party” was happening in the area at around 8.15pm on Saturday evening.
Dr Holohan said he saw “enormous crowds” while driving past the centre and that the scenes were “what we do not need when we have made so much progress”.
Taking to Twitter on Saturday night, the CMO wrote: “Drove into Dublin City Centre to collect someone from work at 8.15pm. Absolutely shocked at scenes in South Great George’s St, Exchequer St, South William St area.
“Enormous crowds – like a major open-air party. This is what we do not need when we have made so much progress.”
The following day, Dublin City Council released a statement that said “a significant amount of waste” was left behind by the crowds.
It also said as the gatherings were not planned events, Dublin City Council had “very few powers to deal with them” but encouraged people to adhere to public health regulations.
Meanwhile, Director of City Recovery with Dublin City Council Coilin O’Reilly said on Monday that the council is concerned that providing more bins and toilets in the City Centre will “only drive more footfall” to the area.
However, Chu has said that she has spoken to the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council and that there will be more facilities in place ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend.
She also said she has requested more bins and toilets for the area.
Chu posted on Twitter: “Spoke to the Chief Executive and we will have more facilities in place this weekend.
“I’ll be following up with Gardai on what the plan is this weekend. From an events background, I’m talking about crowd management, how to filter to various streets so it’s not all one street.
“Have also asked for more bins, toilets and will be asking OPW [Office of Public Works] for later opening of the green.”
I’ll be following up with Gardai on what the plan is this weekend. From an events background I’m talking about crowd management, how to filter to various streets so its not all one street. Have also asked for more bins, toilets & will be asking OPW for later opening of the green.
— Hazel Chu (@hazechu) June 1, 2021
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