A chara, – As local ward councillors, we commend Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company for its imaginative harbour masterplan. And we agree with Ann Joyce (July 26th) that Dún Laoghaire has taken more than its fair share of the ill-effects of the recession. But we must disagree most strongly with her anecdotal analysis of the reasons for this. Ms Joyce blames the downturn in the town’s economy on what she judges to be the council’s mismanagement of town planning, traffic and parking and also “the heavy concentration of certain social support services”.
No county council can plausibly claim it has never made a mistake, but Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown has committed itself to making Dún Laoghaire a better place to live, visit and do business in.
We recently received a thorough and extensive report, A Retail Renaissance, identifying scores of ways in which local stakeholders can get together to improve prospects for all businesses in the town. Many of the local business organisations are doing exactly that, right now. The report notes in passing those opinions expressed above but gives them little credence, focusing instead on positive action.
There are many new initiatives, such as the “branding project”; the new dunlaoghaire.ie website; the new pop-up shop; the Friday and Sunday open-air markets; and the summer of festivals, including the new maritime festival, the bank holiday triathlon and the 10 kilometre road race – all supported by the council.
The council has embarked on a renovation of Marine Road and the covering of the railway to provide larger public spaces and to link the town to the harbour and the sea. The baths site is to be renovated to remove the eyesore and return the space to the public. The parks department heroically maintains our many parks and squares, as well as the flower displays throughout the town that make it a pleasant place to shop. We support a vast array of cultural and sporting events throughout the year to cater for all tastes.
The County Enterprise Board works tirelessly and effectively to support small businesses.
Nothing does more harm to Dún Laoghaire than the endless repetition of the same old complaints. Please let us be positive and constructive. We in Dún Laoghaire need to look forward and work together to build a better future instead of continually running this great town down. We are currently planning a major conference for the autumn on the theme of “Rebranding Dún Laoghaire”. Let us all give it maximum support.
Sir, – The contempt shown by the authorities in keeping the public toilets on Dún Laoghaire’s east pier permanently locked is disgraceful. A great many are forced to “go” behind the building, and a major facility such as the windsurfers’ pier has no facilities at all. Contrast this with Fingal, where their public conveniences at Howth harbour, Portmarnock Stand and Malahide are not only open, but usually very clean, which is a challenge in this day and age. – Yours, etc,