Substantial parts of Dublin city centre are to be given over to a street festival and market one Sunday a month from June until October.

Streets will be pedestrianised and used for market stalls as well as performance areas for musical and theatre acts. The events will allow the council to test the feasibility of pedestrianisation in the city’s shopping areas.

The plan, expected to be ratified by Dublin city councillors tonight, would see the festival and market run on the northside and the southside of the city on alternate months. The two locations chosen are South William Street and the surrounding roads between Grafton Street and George's Street on the southside, and Wolfe Tone Park beside Jervis Street shopping centre on the northside.

Local shop owners

The stalls will sell fashion, food and “high end bric-a-brac” the council said. In addition to allowing stall holders to trade on the day, subject to a trading licence of

€38 or a hot food licence of €165, the festival will give local shop owners the opportunity to trade on the street on the day, giving them “more visibility and versatility”, the council said.

"We want to gradually move forward with more pedestrianisation of the city centre and this temporary pedestrianisation will allow us to test out the feasibility of that," Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisín Quinn said

Mr Quinn said he hoped shop owners would see the benefits of additional footfall that taking cars out of the area could bring.

“City businesses can’t but benefit from this. It will make the city centre the destination to go to on a Sunday and will, I hope, build confidence for further pedestrianisation.”

Access to car parks will be maintained on the day, though those attending will be encouraged to use Luas, buses and Dart.