DublinTown Welcomes the Beginning of the Process of Lifting Restrictions

Dublin City Centre, like many larger urban centres has suffered disproportionate economic impacts. Footfall is currently less than 30% of 2019 levels.

Dublin city’s vulnerability requires extremely urgent responses. In particular, DublinTown is concerned with the high levels of vacancy, (for example ground floor vacancy on Henry St. will be in excess of 30% on re-opening) and current perceptions of public and private safety.

We need:

• An urgent change to planning codes to enable alternative uses to be secured for former retail units
• An inclusive response to the underlying issues impacting on perceptions of public and personal safety
• Clear, cohesive and integrated messaging to Dubliners
• The safe and controlled re-introduction of workers to the city

Achieving the objective of returning Dublin to a vibrant city, is within our control. We foresaw many of the structural economic changes that have occurred, albeit that the timescale has been consolidated. We have well considered plans to address them. We have tackled high rates of localised vacancy before, we understand how Dubliners, who love their city and will not want it to fail, use it and we can further promote its use.

Many of the responses required are commercial in nature. The city’s business community has the insights, expertise and acumen to effect the changes required. We wish to work with all relevant public sector agencies to secure our city’s future the benefit of all. However, we understand the current challenges facing the city’s business community and the urgency of interventions required.