Today is 16 June and it is Bloomsday in Dublin. Even as we were coming into the Chamber, Senators will have seen the straw hats, petticoats, blouses and puffed sleeves. It is a day of real pride for Dubliners but it is a day of international importance. The literary heritage that Joyce left, not just for Dublin but all literary fans and people around the world, is immense. I commend people like Darina at the James Joyce Centre on North Great George's Street, the Joyce Stagers, the National Library, museums, Sweny's, Davy Byrnes and Dublin City Libraries. Right across the city, there are events of music, literature and food. It is truly a great event. I particularly thank those who give the walking tours of our city and bring Joyce to life for Dubliners and visitors internationally. I participated in a walking tour recently in advance of Bloomsday.

It reminded me again - and I call on the Acting Leader to address this with the Minister and Dublin City Council - of Dublin City Council's absolute neglect of the public domain and the streetscape and the dirt in the north-east inner city. The North Circular Road, Gardiner Street and Mountjoy Square are beautiful. This is Georgian Dublin at its best, but the dirt and the debris, the gutters oozing, the odours - it was vile. It was embarrassing. It is embarrassing. Unfortunately, it is not a once-off event. It is absolutely not good enough. How our public domain, our streets and our public spaces look speak to and signify the value we put on that place, on those people and on our heritage. It is utterly unacceptable to the people of the north inner city that our city is left unclean in the way it is being left, and it is utterly unacceptable to the people who come to visit our city.

I would appreciate if the Acting Leader would ask the Minister to address with Dublin City Council its maintenance, enforcement and street cleaning, including the sweeping and power-washing. I know it can do better. Our city deserves better.