With footfall down by 2 per cent compared to last year, Dublin business owners have called for a Garda presence similar to the one in the aftermath of the Dublin riots for the busy Christmas period.
Dublin Town, the collective voice of business in the city centre, said the period between now and the end of the year is “make or break” for many traders.
Dublin Town chief executive Richard Guiney told BreakingNews.ie that their research has found the main reason people choose not to visit the city centre is because they don’t feel safe enough.
“Whether that’s a perception issue or a reality is a moot point in a way. If people don’t feel safe, they’re not safe in their minds and will choose not to be here.
“Last year we obviously had the riots at the end of November. The whole city came together very well [afterwards], and one of the big things that came out of that was a very strong Garda presence… it did instil confidence in the public. Something that came up in our research was that people felt reassured by that level of Garda presence and the footfall in the city actually went up in December 2023 compared to December 2022.”
Mr Guiney praised the work of the Dublin City Centre Taskforce, pointing out that it recommends increasing Garda figures in the city centre area by around 1,000 to bring it up to European policing norms.
Dublin Town chief executive Richard Guiney has called for Garda presence similar to the aftermath of the Dublin riots to be brought in for the busy Christmas period.
“We will need an implementation body for that taskforce report, but I think as an interim measure for the six weeks in the run-up to Christmas, an enhanced Garda presence would reassure the public. It does give that comfort factor when people are in the city to see gardaí on the street.
“When we can objectively show we are roughly 1,000 gardaí short of the European norms, I think that in itself is evidence we could do with more policing in the city.”
Mr Guiney said the Christmas period is so important for businesses that it can be the difference between staying open or being forced to close.
“In the next six weeks it’s really important, 35 per cent of trade that people do on an annual basis, they’ll do a third or more of their annual turnover in that vital six-week period. Trade isn’t where we would like it to be, so there’s a bit of a gap to be made up.
“I think there is some optimism, particularly around the taskforce report, that we’re going to have a serious conversation and serious interventions to address some of Dublin’s challenges.
“We need to do everything we can to keep businesses trading in the city. Businesses will do a third of their turnover, and Christmas often helps businesses turn overdrafts around. The heavy 2010 snow was devastating for city trade.
“Things were difficult anyway then, but I think the poor Christmas sealed the fate of many businesses. If you have a poor business and have an overdraft, January and February are bleak times for retailers and hospitality businesses.”
While all focus is now on the November 29th general election, Mr Guiney said additional Garda presence in the city centre should be a priority for the Government.
The request for Government is to make the funds available for overtime and the judicial resources in that space.
“The request for Government is to make the funds available for overtime and the judicial resources in that space. It’s up to the gardaí how they deploy their resources, but we’re certainly putting our hand up and saying ‘look, we need that visibility’. We have a good relationship with gardaí, they have been very good to city traders over the years, so we are hopeful that we’ll get a sympathetic response.
“Some Dubliners are happy to do their shopping and socialising outside the city, but they do like to come in at Christmas because there’s a good atmosphere, the lights, carol singers.”
He said people should feel proud of the city, while also pointing out Dublin’s importance to the national economy.
“There is a degree of frustration and people want the things they don’t like about the city addressed, but if we start addressing those concerns, people will come back. They want to enjoy the city and feel proud of it again. The taskforce gives us a blueprint of what to do, and it’s up to us to get stuck in and implement it.
“You can buy what you want online, and this goes for all towns and cities. You have to offer something more and an experience that people enjoy.
“Dublin does generate more than half of the taxes raised in the state, more than 60 per cent of VAT, so it’s crucial in terms of the national economy.”
