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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St. Patrick's Day Parade 2006 - Perception vs. Reality

Wednesday the 22nd of February 2006

Well its over for another year. Despite the exaggerated claims before the event "one million expected to half million expected" the reality is that just under 529,000 movements on city centre footfall cameras were recorded over a 24 hour period on 17th March 2006 compared to 688,000 in 2005. These figures suggest that the probable numbers watching the parade were in the region of 300,000 or lower as it is most likely that those attending returned by the same route from whence they arrived. On a normal eight-hour business day around 500,000 visit city centre. These figures cannot be achieved on 17th March as the public transport service is disrupted and reduced on the day due to parade arrangements. The arrangements for the commercial events on the roadway in Merrion Square caused severe traffic disruption in the entire Dublin area for a week. Merrion Square is part of the Inner City Tangent Route and critical for all traffic movement north/south/north unless one wishes to use the M50.
The public statement by the Gardai advising those who wished to cause trouble and drink on streets not to come to city centre and that their drink would be confiscated was very welcome. Indeed the atmosphere on streets this year, despite the weather, was much improved and family friendly compared to previous years, which were ruined by lager louts.
The decision by some alcohol sales outlets to refrain from selling alcohol as a takeaway product until after 16.00 hours on 17th March is welcome but it is not sufficient. Advertising by major companies offering discounts for the festival week on lager sales is lacking an understanding of their civic duty and the damage to social capital they are causing. Clearly they are not accepting the problems alcohol is causing on streets and the public disorder resulting from encouraging alcohol consumption through association with festivals.
There is a growing view in CBD that the St. Patrick's Day Parade is not attracting overseas tourists to the city on the day. This raises questions about the reasons of why and what for the parade is run in Dublin. Should the festival be in the communities with the potential to become a truly Dublin festival. Some Dublin City Councillors have aired views and they deserve to be considered further.