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GREEN PARTY LEADER Eamon Ryan has said local councils need to “get the message” that an “outdoor summer” is what is required and that funding is available from government to provide waste services.
The comments from the Transport and Environment Minister come after large numbers of people gathered for recreation in Dublin and other cities over the weekend as pubs and restaurants remain closed under Covid-19 restrictions.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan had hit out at the scenes with Dublin City Council criticising the litter left behind by the crowds.
A DCC spokesperson said yesterday that the provision of extra bins and toilets at busy city centre locations would “drive more footfall and create more of an issue” from a public health perspective.
Speaking today however, Ryan said that funding has been made available to local councils to create safe outdoor spaces for people.
“I think it is really important that councils get the message that we want it outdoors this summer, they have to create safe spaces for people to eat. You can’t shut down those spaces, we’ve got to spread them out and have more spaces as a way of managing if it’s crowded in one area,” the minister said.
Ryan said a number of initiatives have been launched by Culture Minister Catherine Martin to provide allocations to local authorities to “create those outdoor dining or entertainment spaces”.
“My own department, the Department of Transport, provided a €15 million fund for local authorities, saying if you need to spend money to pedestrianise streets or create a safe space we will provide it.
We also provide funding for waste services, if you need to provide extra litter bins or any other services we will fund and support that. So the message to local authorities is clear, we need to create safe spaces in the open for our people this summer.
Ryan added that he believed that it was a matter of will by local authorities.
“The resources are there, I think political will at a local level is what is needed to actually reallocate space to create this outdoor summer. Do it quickly,” he said.
In a series of tweets this afternoon, Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu said she has been in discussions with the Chief Executive of DCC and that there will be “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 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
Speaking at this morning’s launch of the government’s Covid-19 stimulus plan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that local authorities have “responded differently” to the call for more outdoor spaces and that the government wants “a more uniform approach”.
“Some local authorities have moved very quickly in terms of pedestrianisation of streets. For example I don’t want to mention my own city again but it did well so far to date, there are about 15 streets pedestrianised and announced very, very quickly,” he said.
“There have been initiatives in Dublin as well, so I think more can be done. And I think the Minister for Housing is anxious to provide supports wherever possible to facilitate more street friendly, amenity friendly meaningful environments.”
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Govt. for last three months ” Its going to be an outdoors summer, outdoors is so much safer, get ready for outdoors living”
Last weekend people went outdoors.
Govt. ” Oh Christ, they’ve gone outdoors, who would have seen that coming”
@Dermot: refusing to provide bins and toilets to the public is institutional arrogance of the highest order. The Taoiseach must ensure reform so that we get value for our local taxes.
Come on councils! Be positive – remember it’s a bag of cans, not a bag of can’ts!
@David Riordan: hahahaha. Love it!
@David Riordan: Yes We Cans!
Big Phil Hogan done the damage back in the OOs by giving all the power to the city manager and he is an unelected power and calls all the shots even if he is out of tune with reality co councillors are merely a well p aid talking shop emo shoul d know that or was he asleep then as well
The sensible thing would have been to confirm with Met Eireann and see that June was bringing in a hugely positive change in the weather and thus people would want to get out in it after 7 months of being cooped up….and to just bring in the outdoor dining/drinking from last weekend so that people could enjoy the weather and refreshments in a far better environment that had facilities on site also. Probably made just too much sense to do that I guess
I can’t believe it, this is the first time Eamon Ryan and myself are in agreement, must be a blue moon
@Honeybee: Yeah I was just thinking the same! He’s saying all the right things for a change.
@Honeybee: mostly because Ryan is a politician that wasn’t going to say anything else in rwsponce to the overwhelming view by most people that Tony h tweet of being shocked was the most out of touch reading of the mood of the people – as many have said they hammered the message for outdoors and then shut the parks and toilets at 8pm on a sunny Saturday evening and had garda move everyone out – while asking for no house parties and not opening outdoor pubs – what could possibly go wrong
Happening for months.
Every one knows
Tony get off your soap box
It didn’t matter yesterday how many people flooded the streets literally and metaphorically speaking but as soon as there’s negative publicity and the proverbial manure hits the fan things magically begin to change! Classic policy making in DCC…
So the OPW who wasted millions of the taxpayers money by their inability to do their job properly haven’t enough money for a few loos and bins?
In Kilkenny two separate areas have been fitted with picnic benches at a safe distance from each other and it is really lovely to see everyone having a coffee or a bite to eat. And massive bins for the rubbish, which everybody appears to use. Things may be different when the pubs open of course!
Surprised to hear Ms Martin is in Govt, she never says anything. What has culture to do with saving the planet?? And Mr Ryan promising to give money with no accountability attached to unelected county managers. Nice of him. What ever happened to the save the planet climate change policies that they were elected on. The real issues!! e.g. Google databases and their electrical supply. Carbon emissions, Methane, meeting targets set by EU and Paris etc etc. They are obviously a bit green behind the ears and are obviously heading for extinction. And that really hurts!!
But.. but… What about all the yobbos dumping their stuff like the dcc said they would??
Come on councils! Be positive – remember it’s a bag of cans, not a bag of cants!
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