Sir, – Last Friday a hoarding was erected around the public space known as Portobello Plaza in Dublin 8 to facilitate construction of a hotel on the adjacent site. It is due to remain in place for up to two years. The hoarding encloses approximately 75 per cent of the total area of the plaza, leaving an unattractive and unusable residue of public space.
The Rathmines Initiative strongly opposes the decision by Dublin City Council to permit the removal of public space for the benefit of private commercial interests for such an extended period.
The Rathmines Initiative has previously made representations to local TDs and Dublin City councillors about the dearth of publicly accessible open space in the Rathmines area.
It is incomprehensible that Dublin City Council should now agree to the removal of what little public space is available. This is especially difficult to comprehend in the midst of a pandemic with continued restrictions on indoor gatherings. It is a sorry reflection on the priorities of the Dublin City Council which increasingly neglects the interests of the citizens it ought to be serving.
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There are approximately 23,000 people living within a 1km radius of Portobello Harbour and many of these residents are living in accommodation with limited private outdoor space. The removal of public space impacts most severely on those living in lower standards of accommodation, and compounds existing inequalities in the city.
The Rathmines Initiative calls on Dublin City Council to remove the hoarding and reopen the space to the public without delay. – Yours, etc,
CIARÁN FERRIE,
On behalf of the
Rathmines Initiative,
Dublin 6.