Special Report
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Dublin can be heaven… but even heaven could use a little help

What can be done to improve Dublin city as a place to live and work?

Dublin city has been lauded in songs and movies for many years, and ranked among the friendliest cities in Europe time and again, but it is not without its faults. High rents and house prices as well as a high cost of living, childcare, and transportation issues are common complaints.

Mary Mac Sweeney, deputy head of economic development and enterprise with Dublin City Council, says there are a lot of positives to the city, while admitting there are areas for improvement.

“Dublin is an attractive city to live and work in, and has a lot to offer in terms of studying and working opportunities,” she says. “For students, there’s a selection of world-class universities. For families, there’s a range of supports and a strong school system. And for those looking to further their career, Dublin is also home to innovative indigenous businesses and world-leading multinationals that are always looking to hire skilled professionals. Dublin’s unemployment rate continued to descend in the final quarter of 2021 and is now below 5.5 per cent.”

Mac Sweeney says that Dublin ranks as one of the most business-friendly cities and provides a gateway to Europe, with excellent links with the US and the UK. As one of the most globally connected cities in the world, it is an ideal base for businesses.

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Connecting to the arts, parks and nightlife

Dublin is a city with access to urban green spaces, which people appreciated even more during the pandemic, says Mac Sweeney, with world-class parks such as Merrion Square and Phoenix Park and beaches within a short distance of the city centre such as Dollymount.

Dublin is one of the few urban biospheres in the world where the diversity of plants and wildlife exists alongside a busy and growing city. “Dublin Bay biosphere is an ecosystem that is home to many rare and important species of plants and wildlife and holds significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance.”

Mac Sweeney says Dublin is a multifaceted and multicultural city and it has a lively and growing outdoor dining economy.

“Dublin is also home to internationally renowned museums and galleries – many of which offer free access. And the city has wonderful pubs, festivals and nightlife. There is always something to do in Dublin – things to do and places to see or to meet friends in.”

However, she says that Dubliners are facing issues with both public transport and the availability of taxis, particularly after nights out. “The nightlife in Dublin closes early by European standards, with many clubs and pubs closing at the same time, creating challenges for people in getting home.”

A plan of action

Despite these downsides, there are initiatives in place to tackle many of the common complaints. “The city recovery team are looking at ways to make Dublin a safer city,” says Mac Sweeney. “Twenty-six actions are identified in the Dublin Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 that is designed to improve the Dublin region.”

Another area the city is focusing on is the evening and night-time economy, says Mac Sweeney, “which is a hugely important sector, contributing to our economy and our cultural and creative sectors.” Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin established a night-time economy taskforce in 2020 that published its report in September 2021.

The report contains 36 practical recommendations in the area of regulation, licensing, planning, transport, safety and increasing the diversity of activities as part of the night-time offering. Action 19 calls for a pilot initiative to establish new night-time advisers in six cities and towns to develop new economy opportunities.

The city council participated in the work of the Minister’s taskforce. They also sought the views of citizens through designing a Your Dublin, Your Voice survey on the night-time economy which fed into the hosting of a workshop with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

Dublin will act as a pilot to stimulate economic activity in the city at night through the development of enhanced collaborative structures at a local level supported by one of the advisers.

Sustainable city

Dublin is working to be a carbon-neutral city and has adopted the sustainable development goals in its corporate plan, says Mac Sweeney. “We have a climate action plan and a climate action co-ordinator and are working with other cities to implement learning and innovative solutions. Dublin is participating in a Circular City accelerator that supports start-ups who are developing solutions to Circular City Challenge.

“This work complements the work we do in supporting businesses to become leaders in the low-carbon transition, and to support them with training such as Modos and green business supports such as Green for Micro through the Dublin city Local Enterprise Office.”

Edel Corrigan

Edel Corrigan is a contributor to The Irish Times