DCBA Chairman reports to members on a successful year
Thursday the 8th of May 2008
Introduction
The last 12 months has been a particularly busy period for the DCBA.
The members, I am happy to report, continue to have great confidence in
the city centre and have invested €600m alone in Talbot Street and will
invest €3billion in Henry Street and O'Connell Street in the next five
years. Between them, the Arnotts and Carlton site developments will
create thousands of new jobs and attract up to 3million more people per
year into the city centre. This is the beginning of the next stage of
developing Dublin City Centre as a 21st Century world-class city. There
are 4,000 shops and 10 department stores and shopping centres in the
city and it now enjoys an annual footfall of 260m in comparison to the
Dublin Airport capacity of 23m. The members of the DCBA pay 75% of the
rates to Dublin City Council and employ 25,000 people.
City Centre BID Established
To ensure its continued economic competitiveness and success we are
pleased to advise you that Ireland's very first Business Improvement
District was established on 1st January this year - the Dublin City
Centre BID Company. The ratepayers' referendum vote result to establish
the BID was 22.74% NO versus 77.26% YES in support of the BID. The
additional services that the BID will deliver (over and above those of
Dublin City Council) will include street landscaping, litter removal,
graffiti removal and the introduction of 'street ambassadors' in Dublin
City Centre for the very first time. The new BID manager, Richard
Guiney, took up his appointment on 3rd March this year and he is
working to introduce these new services to our city centre by the
Summer period. It has been a long road to get to this point and a lot
of leadership and effort has been invested by many people here in the
DCBA. Also I would like to thank Dublin City Council and in particular
Cllr Michael Donnelly, Chairman, SPC Finance, Kathy
Quinn, City Treasurer and Eileen Brady and Charlie Lowe, Area Managers,
for their significant contribution in establishing the BID. We look
forward to the city centre being cleaner, greener, safer and more
competitive as a result of the introduction of BIDs. We also look
forward to working closely with the Garda Síochána in this regard.
Marketing Dublin City Centre
The Dublin City Business Association and Dublin City Council are
continuing their very successful marketing partnership. The city's
leading marketeers from the public and private sectors come together on
a regular basis to promote the city centre including the development of
television and radio advertising campaigns featuring the now well known
tagline 'Dublin Make the City Yours.' We also undertake an ongoing
public relations programme, which includes the promotion of the city's
events programme and the leisure, cultural and retail offering of our
Capital City. The marketing campaign continues to have a positive
impact on the city centre footfall, which was up 6% in 2007, despite
increasing international and out of town competition. I would like to
congratulate the streets that put up new Christmas lights this year. I
believe it went a long way to attracting people into the city centre
during what is the most important trading time of the year for many
members.
Eco-Innovation Seminar
During the year the DCBA also partnered with Dublin Civic Trust and
the European Partners for the Environment with the support of the
European Commission in hosting a seminar last year that promoted
'Eco-Innovation' in the City.
City Centre Access
Access into the city centre is the single biggest barrier to our
customers coming into the city centre. We welcome the increase in QBCs
and light rail lines. These are proven effective means for success in
public transport. Access to the city centre is the lifeblood of our
Capital. Government is to be congratulated on its commitment to
Transport 21 and in particular Metro North. However competence in
carrying out these projects is essential especially when the economy is
slowing and tax revenues are scarcer than the previous decade. It is
imperative that retailers, the economic engine of the Capital, can
operate and continue to trade successfully throughout the development
of all transport infrastructural developments. In particular, access
for shoppers' cars must not be obstructed. Each year over 30 million
shoppers travel by car into the city centre with an average spend of 70
euro per person. Recent research undertaken by DCBA shows the breakdown
of spend by customer travelling by Car V's Luas is 88%
to 12%. Therefore the Government must ensure that the decisions of
Government departments do not harm the economy of the Central Business
District. They need to fully justify their decisions and their impact
on the private sector.
Public Order in the City Centre
Research undertaken by the DCBA has shown that shoppers perceive
Dublin City Centre to be safe during the daytime. The average daily
footfall in the city centre during the daytime is almost 700,000 - for
the nighttime period it reduces to just 8,000. Alcohol related public
disorder is preventing people from enjoying their Capital city at the
evening period. There is a failure by the State to restore the city
centre evening economy to the level of what it should be in a vibrant
prosperous European Capital City Centre and a failure on the part of
the politicians to face up to the alcohol sector on what needs to be
done in this regard. I would like to welcome here today Ms. Kathleen
O'Toole, Chief Inspector of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate and
congratulate her on her report on policing. We would encourage the
Government to seriously consider implementing her recommendations, in
particular the proposals to introduce more proactive policing, annual
policing plans, individual performance reporting,
introduction of community policing, higher police visibility and
reducing Garda time spent in court. We believe that all societal
influencers need to show leadership and instil a sense of civic duty
and responsibility in our children including business leaders,
politicians and in particular teachers which will help change the
anti-social element in our society. In combating anti-social behaviour
we are disappointed that the Minister for Justice has not established a
community courts system to date. There is a need to look at solutions
that will have long term impact on anti-social and larger lout
behaviour.
Growth of Dublin Population
There is a need to maximise the existing geographic capacity in the
city centre through development of residential areas such as Mountjoy
Square, Phibsborough, Heuston and the Liberties. In particular Dublin
Port should be moved northwards and the existing site used as
residential development to build the city centre of the 21st Century as
a world-class city. In order to attract families into the city centre
we need good sized and high spec residential properties that improve
quality of life and are linked into transport infrastructure. Higher
density apartments could be granted in selected areas but only when
they are well above legal regulations in terms of legal minimum space
requirements and quality. DCBA has submitted a policy paper on these
issues to Dublin City Council and we hope they will be adopted.
Lisbon Reform Treaty
In relation to the forthcoming Lisbon Treaty Referendum…. In the
interests of Ireland and business, we would encourage all here, their
families, colleagues and employees to vote YES.
In conclusion
Dublin City Centre is a vibrant and dynamic city that is admired by
visitors from Europe and USA alike. We look forward to working with our
various partners in helping to keep Dublin a successful, attractive and
prosperous city. Thanks to all the members who pay into DCBA which as
everyone knows is a not for profit 'civic-good society' organisation.
Without the financial and physical support and commitment of the
members we would not be able to carry out activities that are in the
interests of business and civic society in the city centre.
Introduction
The last 12 months has been a particularly busy period for the DCBA. The members, I am happy to report, continue to have great confidence in the city centre and have invested €600m alone in Talbot Street and will invest €3billion in Henry Street and O'Connell Street in the next five years. Between them, the Arnotts and Carlton site developments will create thousands of new jobs and attract up to 3million more people per year into the city centre. This is the beginning of the next stage of developing Dublin City Centre as a 21st Century world-class city. There are 4,000 shops and 10 department stores and shopping centres in the city and it now enjoys an annual footfall of 260m in comparison to the Dublin Airport capacity of 23m. The members of the DCBA pay 75% of the rates to Dublin City Council and employ 25,000 people.
City Centre BID Established
To ensure its continued economic competitiveness and success we are pleased to advise you that Ireland's very first Business Improvement District was established on 1st January this year - the Dublin City Centre BID Company. The ratepayers' referendum vote result to establish the BID was 22.74% NO versus 77.26% YES in support of the BID. The additional services that the BID will deliver (over and above those of Dublin City Council) will include street landscaping, litter removal, graffiti removal and the introduction of 'street ambassadors' in Dublin City Centre for the very first time. The new BID manager, Richard Guiney, took up his appointment on 3rd March this year and he is working to introduce these new services to our city centre by the Summer period. It has been a long road to get to this point and a lot of leadership and effort has been invested by many people here in the DCBA. Also I would like to thank Dublin City Council and in particular Cllr Michael Donnelly, Chairman, SPC Finance, Kathy Quinn, City Treasurer and Eileen Brady and Charlie Lowe, Area Managers, for their significant contribution in establishing the BID. We look forward to the city centre being cleaner, greener, safer and more competitive as a result of the introduction of BIDs. We also look forward to working closely with the Garda Síochána in this regard.
Marketing Dublin City Centre
The Dublin City Business Association and Dublin City Council are continuing their very successful marketing partnership. The city's leading marketeers from the public and private sectors come together on a regular basis to promote the city centre including the development of television and radio advertising campaigns featuring the now well known tagline 'Dublin Make the City Yours.' We also undertake an ongoing public relations programme, which includes the promotion of the city's events programme and the leisure, cultural and retail offering of our Capital City. The marketing campaign continues to have a positive impact on the city centre footfall, which was up 6% in 2007, despite increasing international and out of town competition. I would like to congratulate the streets that put up new Christmas lights this year. I believe it went a long way to attracting people into the city centre during what is the most important trading time of the year for many members.
Eco-Innovation Seminar
During the year the DCBA also partnered with Dublin Civic Trust and the European Partners for the Environment with the support of the European Commission in hosting a seminar last year that promoted 'Eco-Innovation' in the City.
City Centre Access
Access into the city centre is the single biggest barrier to our customers coming into the city centre. We welcome the increase in QBCs and light rail lines. These are proven effective means for success in public transport. Access to the city centre is the lifeblood of our Capital. Government is to be congratulated on its commitment to Transport 21 and in particular Metro North. However competence in carrying out these projects is essential especially when the economy is slowing and tax revenues are scarcer than the previous decade. It is imperative that retailers, the economic engine of the Capital, can operate and continue to trade successfully throughout the development of all transport infrastructural developments. In particular, access for shoppers' cars must not be obstructed. Each year over 30 million shoppers travel by car into the city centre with an average spend of 70 euro per person. Recent research undertaken by DCBA shows the breakdown of spend by customer travelling by Car V's Luas is 88% to 12%. Therefore the Government must ensure that the decisions of Government departments do not harm the economy of the Central Business District. They need to fully justify their decisions and their impact on the private sector.
Public Order in the City Centre
Research undertaken by the DCBA has shown that shoppers perceive Dublin City Centre to be safe during the daytime. The average daily footfall in the city centre during the daytime is almost 700,000 - for the nighttime period it reduces to just 8,000. Alcohol related public disorder is preventing people from enjoying their Capital city at the evening period. There is a failure by the State to restore the city centre evening economy to the level of what it should be in a vibrant prosperous European Capital City Centre and a failure on the part of the politicians to face up to the alcohol sector on what needs to be done in this regard. I would like to welcome here today Ms. Kathleen O'Toole, Chief Inspector of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate and congratulate her on her report on policing. We would encourage the Government to seriously consider implementing her recommendations, in particular the proposals to introduce more proactive policing, annual policing plans, individual performance reporting, introduction of community policing, higher police visibility and reducing Garda time spent in court. We believe that all societal influencers need to show leadership and instil a sense of civic duty and responsibility in our children including business leaders, politicians and in particular teachers which will help change the anti-social element in our society. In combating anti-social behaviour we are disappointed that the Minister for Justice has not established a community courts system to date. There is a need to look at solutions that will have long term impact on anti-social and larger lout behaviour.
Growth of Dublin Population
There is a need to maximise the existing geographic capacity in the city centre through development of residential areas such as Mountjoy Square, Phibsborough, Heuston and the Liberties. In particular Dublin Port should be moved northwards and the existing site used as residential development to build the city centre of the 21st Century as a world-class city. In order to attract families into the city centre we need good sized and high spec residential properties that improve quality of life and are linked into transport infrastructure. Higher density apartments could be granted in selected areas but only when they are well above legal regulations in terms of legal minimum space requirements and quality. DCBA has submitted a policy paper on these issues to Dublin City Council and we hope they will be adopted.
Lisbon Reform Treaty
In relation to the forthcoming Lisbon Treaty Referendum…. In the interests of Ireland and business, we would encourage all here, their families, colleagues and employees to vote YES.
In conclusion
Dublin City Centre is a vibrant and dynamic city that is admired by visitors from Europe and USA alike. We look forward to working with our various partners in helping to keep Dublin a successful, attractive and prosperous city. Thanks to all the members who pay into DCBA which as everyone knows is a not for profit 'civic-good society' organisation. Without the financial and physical support and commitment of the members we would not be able to carry out activities that are in the interests of business and civic society in the city centre.