Olivia Kelly

6 days ago | irishtimes.com | Olivia Kelly

Dublin city centre‘s only public toilets, installed at the top of Grafton Street five years ago, are to be shut. Reduced demand for the toilets has been cited by Dublin City Council in its decision to remove the facility. The council has been spending almost €400,000 a year to operate the toilets, installed at the St Stephen’s Green end of Grafton Street during the Covid-19 pandemic. It had initially opened toilets at two locations in 2020, the second at Wolfe Tone Square on the city’s northside.

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Olivia Kelly

Dozens of lockboxes, used to distribute keys for Airbnb-style lettings, have been removed from poles across Dublin city and “shredded” in the first stage of a Dublin City Council enforcement blitz. The council last February announced it intended to remove the key storage boxes from cycle stands and street signage poles due to the health and safety risks posed, particularly the danger of trips and falls.

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Olivia Kelly

Political parties “should not be afraid of the people of Dublin”, who can be “trusted to make the right decision” on choosing a directly elected mayor for the capital, Mayor of Limerick John Moran has said. Mr Moran, who became the State’s first elected mayor last June, said Dubliners were “very proud of their city and they will want to pick the person they think will be the best mayor, and I think it’s up to political parties to present candidates that live up to that expectation”.

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Olivia Kelly

The €6 million regeneration of the area between Grafton Street and Dawson Street in Dublin city centre, first announced more than a decade ago, will finally get under way in the coming weeks. The two-year construction project involves a revamp of South Anne Street, Duke Street, Lemon Street and the lanes which run between them, with Leinster granite paving, tree and flower planting, water bottle filling stations, a play area, public seating and bicycle stands.

3 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Olivia Kelly

Plans to regenerate some of Dublin city’s oldest flat complexes are at risk following a Department of Housing decision not to fund projects that result in a significant reduction of homes. The department has rejected the first phase of Dublin City Council’s long-planned redevelopment of Pearse House off Pearse Street in the city centre that was built almost 90 years ago. The redevelopment involves the amalgamation of small flats, which do not meet minimum size standards, to create larger homes.