New government must reverse continual decline of Dublin City centre say business group

The continual decline of Dublin City centre must be immediately reversed by the next Government if the area is to have a meaningful future, the area’s leading business group has claimed.

Dublin Town, the voice of businesses in the city centre, representing 2,500 members, said governments can no longer hide from the realities of day-to-day life for traders, commuters, and visitors.

Launching the collective’s 2024 General Election Manifesto today (November 18), CEO, Richard Guiney, said Dublin Town is calling for the full and immediate implementation of the recommendations of the Taoiseach’s task force report on the future of the City centre.

These include 1,000 more Gardaí for the area and the revitalisation of O’Connell Street

“If the current reality of Dublin city centre is hidden from, and the necessary interventions not made, it will continue on a spiral of decline,” said Mr Guiney.

“That would have massive implications for the Irish economy and Ireland’s position on the international stage.”

Mr Guiney said the public experience of Dublin City centre had deteriorated to the point where people did not feel safe.

“Dublin City centre is at a pivotal moment.  Footfall is trending downwards.  The public believes the city experience is deteriorating.  They do not feel safe and they want that to change.

“Dublin Town believes these negative trends can be systematically reversed, strengthening business and visitor confidence in the city centre, and increasing engagement.

“But this can only be done if all key stakeholders work together to implement change and address underlying concerns.

“The report of the Taoiseach’s taskforce is a blueprint to achieve this.  We have asked all political parties that its roll out be included as a non-negotiable in talks on the next programme for government.”

He said an independently chaired implementation body would be the correct delivery mechanism for the task force recommendations.

“If the correct decisions are made now, Dublin’s momentum can be regained.”