The Dublin City Taskforce was established by the then Taoiseach, Simon Harris, in May 2024 with the objective to develop a set of recommendations to rejuvenate and revitalise Dublin. They issued their report in October www.gov.ie/en/publication/eb20b-dublin-city-taskforce/
Membership of the Taskforce represents key agencies working in the city centre in public service, community health, business and union, arts, culture and tourism as well as private sector representatives in architecture, urbanism and design. David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, acts as the independent chair.
Amongst the most significant recommendations appropriate to our sector are to convert derelict sites into high-density residential units with provision for essential workers and to increase significantly Dublin City Council’s (DCC’s) revolving fund to purchase vacant and derelict sites. Other recommendations include creating a public-private partnership for high-density residential development and to launch a grant aid scheme for housing of city centre essential workers.
The Task Force say that a populated city centre is vital to Dublin’s future, with the benefits of economic efficiency, shorter commutes, better access to private and public services, lower carbon footprint from developing brownfield sites and greater preservation of green space in the surrounding area. Lived-in streets are safer and more attractive. Securing a larger, permanent community in high density, high quality residential units is essential to Dublin’s vitality.
The report, amongst other findings, found that the “byzantine planning system, along with high construction costs and rental caps, has contributed to a lack of large-scale residential development in the city centre”.
The government has recognised this and recent interventions such as the establishment of a specialised Planning and Environment court, the proposed Planning Act and the current overhaul of An Bord Pleanála should help to address the inefficiencies. On a smaller scale, conversion of above shop units has been stifled by regulatory burdens and should be addressed.
DCC have ongoing plans to secure and convert derelict buildings into residential developments, and this development should be supported and expanded and supports for conversion of above shop units should be enhanced. In addition to this programme of work, the task force recommends the establishment of a public/private partnership between the Council and a private developer to develop a high-density, high-quality residential scheme, sympathetic to the heritage of the area, with a balance of private and affordable housing. This could include the conversion of unused office space to residential use.
Best practice in urban planning sees diversity in use (retail, residential, commercial), in scale (above-the-shop and high-density residential) and in residents (socio-economic, employment status and life-stage). The task force sees great potential by encouraging those who work locally to live locally, through a scheme for frontline workers to be provided with affordable city centre housing. Evidence from other jurisdictions such as the UK has shown that supporting frontline workers to live in the city centre, closer to the communities they serve, contributes to economic revitalisation by increasing the demand for local goods and services, aid a sense of stability and safety and a more cohesive community.
