Dublin City Council to establish City Recovery Task Force

Dublin City Council has announced the establishment of the City Recovery Task Force to ‘shape a physical, economic, social and cultural recovery strategy for the city post Covid-19.’

The council say the overall objective is to contribute to the recovery of the city centre by creating a roadmap for the delivery of the City Council’s vision in line with the Government’s plans for relaxing Covid restrictions and for reopening the economy.

There will be extensive stakeholder engagement during the process.

The primary focus of the initiative will be on non-residential areas between the Canals to the North and South and stopping at Heuston Station in the West.

It is proposed that the Task Force will have an internal focus dealing with City Council services and those matters that the City Council specifically controls, and an external focus dealing with stakeholders and addressing their needs post-Covid. The key themes will include:

• City Centre Recovery Plan
• Presentation of the City
• Promotion of Outdoor Trading/Dining
• Roll out of additional public conveniences
• Policing and Safety
• Transportation
• Animating the City by organising events
• Delivering Capital Projects
• Promotion/Lobbying on behalf of city centre

Mr Coilín O’Reilly, Executive Manager North City, will be appointed Director of City Recovery and will report to the City Recovery Task Force.

The initiative will continue until 31 December 2021, at which stage it will be subject to review.

The Task Force will be comprised of the following:

Owen Keegan, Chief Executive (Chair)

Councillor Claire O’Connor, Chair of the Economic Development & Enterprise SPC

Brendan Kenny, Deputy Chief Executive

Richard Shakespeare, Assistant Chief Executive

John Flanagan, Assistant Chief Executive & City Engineer

Coilín O’Reilly, Director of City Recovery

Mary Taylor, Executive Manager South City

Karl Mitchell, Executive Manager (Acting) North City

Michael Ryan, Head of Press Office