Dublin Chamber welcomes latest Gardaí response to safety in the city 

+ Dublin Chamber has spent last twelve months actively lobbying senior members of Government on these issues 

Wednesday 23rd of August: Dublin Chamber welcomes the Government’s €10 million package to heighten the presence and visibility of Gardaí on the streets of Dublin, through additional hours for community policing and the temporary use of armed officers, riot police and dog units.  

Dublin Chamber has raised our concerns with both the Gardaí and Government at the increasing prevalence of menace in the city centre and mounting safety concerns raised by Dublin businesses.   

Stephen Browne, Head of Public Affairs at Dublin Chamber said, “Dublin must be considered a ‘safe city’, to attract the investment, business and skilled labour that fuels economic growth. Within the past number of years, and since Covid particularly, Dublin has experienced a heightened sense of menace. We need a concerted plan for the city centre, including better policing, to make sure that Dublin is safe for workers, citizens, students and tourists alike."

“It is overdue that we take back collective ownership of our city and each stakeholder do their part to once again fortify Dublin’s reputation as a secure, thriving urban centre. It is, for this reason, that we welcome the recent allocation of funds from Government in supporting An Garda Síochána and their work in maintaining the safety of our city. The ongoing deployment of these funds, coupled with the strategic deployment of the public order unit to support under resourced and over stretched Garda units, represents a crucial interim measure, and we look forward to continuing to engage with Government on developing more long-term solutions.” 

Stephen Browne, Head of Public Affairs at Dublin Chamber further commented “Post-Covid, the issue of safety in the city centre has reached crisis levels, and an appropriate crisis response has finally been taken. In respect of recent incidents such as those that took place last weekend, in addition to the activities scheduled to take place in the Aviva this coming weekend, it is prudent that an urgent response be put in place to ensure the safeguarding of the visiting contingent and anyone looking to enjoy the games. It is also essential to recognise that this funding offers multifaceted support - fostering community policing is one of the robust actions we hope to see continue getting appropriate resourcing into the future”  

-ENDS-

For further information, please contact:

Órla Mannion | Public Affairs Manager | Dublin Chamber | orla@dublinchamber.ie

About Dublin Chamber: Dublin Chamber is Ireland’s largest chamber of commerce with over 1,300 member companies. It is the most representative and broadly-based business group in the Greater Dublin Area, providing representation and networking services. Its policy work focuses on developing the Dublin region’s infrastructure & transport, promoting competitiveness, and improving local governance. Dublin Chamber is also one of the oldest chambers of commerce in the world, tracing its origins back to 1782.