13-07-2025
Extra beach clean-ups planned over ‘mini-heatwave' weekend in Dublin
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council (DCC) said it was 'standard practice' for the authority to provide extra waste crews when increased footfall is expected on beaches and parks, or in good weather.
'With regard to Dollymount Beach, staff are in attendance from 6am to have the beach litter free and presentable for the day's visitors,' they said.
'A small number of staff remain until early evening to remove litter and service bins once the majority of visitors have returned home.'
Beaches are frequently left heavily littered after bouts of good weather, with drink containers, food packaging and disposable barbecues often left behind.
DCC added that Bull Island is a national nature reserve that should be respected by all members of the public.
'All of the litter on the beach is brought there by visitors and it is greatly appreciated if visitors bring their litter off the beach to the banks of bins located at the ends of the two access roads, or ideally home to be properly segregated and disposed of responsibly,' it added.
Fingal County Council said its cleaning crew would be on site at Velvet Strand in Portmarnock, a Blue Flag beach, at 6am on Saturday and Sunday.
'With the sunny weather and a large number of people expected at our beaches, Fingal County Council is providing additional large bins and cleansing crews to manage litter and beach cleaning,' said a spokesperson.
The council has requested beachgoers to follow their rules around pollution during the weekend, especially when visiting smaller beaches in the Fingal area that tend to get overcrowded in summer.
'We appeal to all beach goers to take all litter home with you and leave the beach clean, safe and free from pollution for everyone,' they said.
Outlining some rules for the weekend, they added: 'Take all the necessary safety precautions when in the water, follow directions and instructions from lifeguards at all times, take your litter home, and clean up after your dogs.'
This month, councillors in Fingal agreed on a Draft Litter Management Plan that will see more litter wardens and bins installed in public areas like beaches.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown (DLR) County Council has already upgraded their waste management measures and staffing to meet the bin demand for summer.
Beaches like Seapoint and Killiney Beach will be cleaned at 7am and 6.30pm between Monday to Sunday, and on evenings during the weekend.
'The council has deployed a number of temporary 1,100L and barrel bins in strategic high-traffic locations from Easter through to the end of the summer period,' said a spokesperson.
'Staffing operations have also been adjusted to meet the pressures of the season.
'DLR has also increased its focus on beach cleanliness, with a dedicated Beach Patrol Operative on duty during the day and additional staff assigned to evening bins.'
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