Another effort is to be made to clean up Dirty Dublin. The Lord Mayor, Mr Maurice Ahern, and the city manager, Mr John Fitzgerald, revealed details of a new scheme earlier this week. It is a marvel of simplicity: more litter wardens, more litter bins, more frequent cleaning and heavy fines for offenders. It is the template that has been used successfully in every clean and civilised city on the planet. And it should be extended throughout the State. The reality is that a lack of political will, of funding, of facilities, of personnel and of punishment has kept Dublin and many of our towns and villages unkempt and dirty.
Neatness and tidiness are certainly an inculcated values. But if children or adults have to walk hundreds of yards before they can dispose of their litter, it doesn't encourage good behaviour. And if, as frequently happens during the summer months, the litter bins are already overflowing, surely the local authorities are guilty of encouraging anti-social behaviour? It is time that councils and corporations, especially in seaside areas, arranged to have bins emptied on a frequent basis. The sight of grossly overflowing litter bins is all too common on a sunny Sunday. Market research has shown that public dirt and litter has a very negative impact on the hospitality and tourist sector - our second largest employer. So any extra money spent in this area would pay for itself in terms of extra visitors and a more pleasant environment for everyone.
Public anti-litter programmes have always been starved of cash. One of the spin-offs was the emergence of the enormously valuable Tidy Towns competition, which has been running for almost 50 years. Whole communities were enthused. Citizens took pride in maintaining their town's heritage and in presenting a clean, attractive environment which, in turn, contributed to tourism and commercial development. The competition is still going strong today, with increasing support from local authorities. There is a happy mean between the involvement of citizens in keeping their environment clean and tidy and the responsibility of local government. A leavening of civic pride is important in any well-run community. But adequate services are an underpinning element and must be provided by politicians and officials. A lack of finance has traditionally been quoted by local authorities in defence of inadequate cleaning and anti-litter services. That should no longer obtain now that refuse charges have been introduced.
An extra £3m will be spent by Dublin Corporation over the next three years on anti-litter measures, which will bring the annual refuse budget to about £17m. The number of litter wardens is to be increased to 32 from 20 - it was 2 in 1997 - and 2,000 extra litter bins will be placed in the streets. On-the-spot fines for littering have been increased to £50 and may rise to £100. Bins will be emptied more frequently. And street cleaning services will be extended to evenings and weekends. In addition, junk and hazardous waste will be collected from households. The measures are long overdue and they mark a point, as the city manager has said, "when we stop talking about litter and put the resources into tackling the problem."
Dublin Corporation has provided a good example. Let us hope that local authorities throughout the State will follow its lead.