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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Minister for Justice on Gangland Crime

Wednesday the 20th of December 2006

Speaking at the publication of the draft legislation to counter gangland crime, the Táinaiste said "I have already said that the threat posed by crime gangs represents one of the greatest threats to our society since the advent of paramillitarism in the 1970's. it is against that background that the Government has decided that it must introduce legislation which, although severe, is proportionate to the threat we face."

The proposed legislation- combating the abuse of bail, increasing detention periods, restricting the night to silence, lengthening the sentences to be served and providing for the enhanced use of forensic science is one of the most comprehensive anti-crime legislative packages ever brought forward.

The following resources have been provided in support of An Garda Síochána:

• The strength of An Garda Síochána reached 13,000 fully trained Gardaí in   
   November. Including the recruits in training the strength is just over 14,000 at
   present.

• €112 million will be spent by OPW on the Garda Building Programme between
   2005 and 2007

• 1,200 vehicles (cars, motorbikes and vans) are on order for the Garda fleet- this is
   just over half the entire fleet

• 1,500 ballistic vests ordered- 800 already delivered, balance in January

• Anti-stab ballistic vests- 11,000 ordered- delivery starts with 1,000 in each of
  January and February 2007 and 2,500 per month thereafter until order complete

• Retractable batons- 10,000 in stock for issue aligned with training schedule

• Virtual Firearm Trainers- 3 electronic firearms training simulators for delivery and
   installation 20th December 2006

• Rigid inflatable boats- 3 new boats were purchased for the Garda Water Unit to 
  replace existing craft in use since mid- '90's

• Contract for national Digital Radio Service for Garda Síochána and all blue-light
  emergency services- procurement process which now goes to financial due
  diligence and will be approved by the Minister for Finance in the coming days.

• Additional 111 stations have been connected to PULSE during the past 12 months,
  bringing the total of Garda stations with access to PULSE to over 290.

• The Garda Information Services Centre in Castlebar fully operational nationwide-
  staff of 160 civilians- inputs data on the PULSE system- has freed up significant
  amounts of Garda time for continued operational duty.

• Contract was signed for a new Automated Fingerprint Identification System in
  November- rollout has already begun including purchase of hardware and software licences.