LATEST DUBLIN CITY NEWS

• “Proposed changes to retail guidelines will cost jobs, compromise main streets and cause more dereliction - An Taisce”

  03-01-2012

  Jobs will be lost and main streets will suffer if Forfas gets its way on Retail Planning  according to a recent An Taisce  Press Release

• Rejuvenating Dublin's Tourism Product

  23-12-2011

  Dublin City Business Association commissioned Jerome Casey and Felim O’Rourke to undertake a study of tourism in Dublin and to make least-cost recommendations for its rejuvenation. The World Tourism Organisation concluded (in relation to Ireland) that "there appears to be very little correlation between marketing spending by National Tourism Organisations and international arrivals". 
  

  Within Ireland, there is a mismatch between the Irish tourism market and the public resources devoted to it. 

  33 existing tourist attractions in Dublin were reviewed, and low-cost initiatives suggested for their improvement.

  From 2000 – 2010 Ireland’s share of world tourism visitors has fallen sharply. In 2004, Ireland changed from being a destination country for incoming tourists to an origin country for Irish, outgoing tourists.

  Dublin must move from passive approval of tourist activities to an active development of tourism as a priority industry in regenerating the city’s economy. 

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

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Dublin Traffic Facts

Monday the 21st of September 2009

• In 1988 DCBA established its Dublin Transport Initiative – People First Committee to lobby for Light Rail (Luas) and investment in Public Transport
• The FF/PD Government in 1990 established the DTI, which produced their Final Report in 1994 which was accepted by Government as transport strategy for the Dublin Region.
• DCBA was and still are in favour of full on street running of Luas including a linked up Luas from St. Stephen’s Green to O’Connell Street. At that time Dublin Chamber of Commerce was against Luas running on street in City Centre. The Dublin Chamber of Commerce promoted their proposal that the Cabinet backed. This proposal was drawn up by a then ESB engineer working with the PDs. The FF/PD Cabinet abolished the Luas link between St. Stephen’s Green and O’Connell Street.
• Ten years later Dublin City is still suffering from lack of sufficient easy access for citizens and we still have two non-interconnected light rail lines (Luas).
• DCBA is fully aware that College Green/Westmoreland Street is needed for the Luas link up to O’Connell Street and DCBA supports this.
• However, the introduction of the Bus Gate prematurely before the Samuel Beckett Bridge at Macken Street is operational has resulted in the traffic for three bridges going into two bridges. This has undermined access to City Centre for shoppers further and has compounded the negative impact of the recession on the real economy.
• DCBA asked that the Bus Gate not be put in place before the Samuel Beckett Bridge at Macken Street is operational and adequate signposting to shoppers’ car parks are in place.
• Bus Gate is damaging the real economy in City Centre and particularly Late Night Shopping and high end retailing. This problem is now spreading to restaurants and bars.
• Jobs will be lost in January/February 2010 as retailers’ turnover is damaged in the last quarter of 2009.
• The retail cycle of business is dependent on Q4 as its most important trading period (this is the case for shops, restaurants, bars, etc)
• Politicians in FF, Labour and SF, who voted for Bus Gate prematurely, must take responsibility for the job losses now being created.
• Dublin City Council must now
1) Suspend Bus Gate immediately
2) Reduce Business Rates and Charges by 20% to come into line with the real economy.

“Save City Centre Jobs”