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Ireland's biggest hotel group says its Dublin staff don't feel safe cycling to work

Dalata wrote to ask Transport Minister Shane Ross to press on with a plan for more bike paths.

IRELAND’S LARGEST HOTEL group told the Minister for Transport that many of its staff don’t feel safe cycling in Dublin – and urged him to press on with a delayed plan to improve the capital’s bike lanes.

Dalata wrote a letter to Transport Minister Shane Ross in May recommending the rollout of the greater Dublin area cycle plan, a proposal to increase the number of cycling lanes from 500km to 2,900 km by 2020.

The plan was published by the National Transport Authority five years ago.

“Like many businesses in Dublin, a growing number of our employees cycle to work and an even larger proportion of our teams would cycle if they felt comfortable and safe on the roads,” the group’s company secretary, Seán McKeon, wrote in a letter seen by Fora.

The company, which runs the Maldron and Clayton hotel brands, said that it takes a “proactive interest in the welfare of our employees” and runs monthly programmes focused on various aspects of mental and physical health.

“Cycling to work is one of the simple ways to improve daily health and wellbeing, however we value our employees’ safety too and there is no doubt that many simply don’t feel safe cycling on Dublin’s streets.”

shutterstock_1044163819 Shutterstock / gabriel12 Shutterstock / gabriel12 / gabriel12

‘Lasting legacy’

London and Dublin stock exchange-listed Dalata told the minister that developing kerb-protected cycle lanes throughout Dublin city would help it to “attract and retain the employees our business needs to continue to thrive”.

McKeon added that better cycling infrastructure would make Dublin a more attractive city for tourists, urging Ross to deliver the greater Dublin-area cycle plan during his term as transport minister and leave “a lasting legacy for our capital city”.

Minister Ross responded to Dalata’s letter three months later, detailing over €1 billion in capital funding earmarked for cycling, walking and greenways projects around the country, urban transport infrastructure and the city’s BusConnects programme.

“I am dedicated to implementing cycling policy, improving cycling infrastructure and support many cycling measures,” Ross told Dalata.

Dalata employs over 2,250 staff at 15 hotels in Dublin city. Overall, it operates over 40 hotels in Ireland and the UK.

According to its latest annual report the group delivered sales of over €348 million in 2017 and a profit after tax of €68 million.

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Written by Conor McMahon and posted on Fora.ie

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    Mute Frank O'Hara
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    Dec 14th 2024, 9:05 PM

    Shocking stuff from Leinster. They weren’t at the races at all today and they were totally outmuscled physically by Clermont. The set-piece was an embarrassment and the attack was dysfunctional again. We weren’t helped at all to be fair by Pearce’s disgraceful refereeing, but a bonus-point win should be a given in all of the Champions Cup pool stage games. Barrett, Ryan and Henshaw were the only good players in a match littered with mistakes.

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    Mute Mark Murphy
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    Dec 15th 2024, 12:01 AM

    @Frank O’Hara: Pearce is the new Wayne Barnes.

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    Mute John Moore
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    Dec 15th 2024, 2:27 PM

    @Frank O’Hara: It’s not quite accurate to say that the set piece was an embarrassment. The scrum actually went very well for a change. The lineout was poor though which is a recurring theme and a worry. Expecting bonus point wins as a given is a bit ridiculous though and is an attitude that would cause the team to take their eye off the ball.

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    Mute lesidees
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    Dec 14th 2024, 8:02 PM

    Could have been better, could have been worse

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    Mute Gavin Delves
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    Dec 14th 2024, 9:51 PM

    @Basildon Joe: unlike the useless Munster

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Dec 14th 2024, 10:13 PM

    @Gavin Delves: Obsessed ye are. Just because ye have no real fans or history just money. Sad really

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    Mute Lulu
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    Dec 14th 2024, 10:17 PM

    @FoxyBoiiYT: Nice burn Foxy !!

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    Mute Joe Kelly
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    Dec 14th 2024, 11:06 PM

    @Gavin Delves: totally unnecessary remark from a sad little man

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    Mute N.F. Court
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    Dec 15th 2024, 7:24 PM

    @FoxyBoiiYT: lol…I think History is now in Leinster’s favour. Real fans fill their grounds….which Leinster regularly do. Leinster won that game playing quite poorly. The French are the yardstick for European Rugby over the last 4 years….so well done Leinster. Imagine what they will be like when they click back into gear..? Some Team. Hope Munster improve….

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    Mute N.F. Court
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    Dec 15th 2024, 7:25 PM

    @Joe Kelly: he was replying to a much crasser comment…..

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    Mute Patrick Kelly
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    Dec 14th 2024, 10:16 PM

    Nienaber knocking the skill level out of Leinster. He is a disaster.

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    Mute James T.Kirk
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    Dec 14th 2024, 11:52 PM

    @Patrick Kelly: Agree, hard to see what he has improved.

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    Mute Michael Murray
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    Dec 15th 2024, 2:51 AM

    @Patrick Kelly:…that’s is a valid and perceptive comment …..but and it’s a big but, Leo must be giving him the nod to do it.

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    Mute Pork Hunt
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    Dec 15th 2024, 8:13 AM

    Ireland will be lucky to reach a RWC 1/4 next time. Nienaber and IRFU are doing a great job in developing an over-hyped one trick pony in Leinster.

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    Mute den
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    Dec 15th 2024, 11:23 AM

    @Pork Hunt: jeez, ye munster phucks are a sad shower of whinging 5h1t£5. Get a life will ye.

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    Mute Pork Hunt
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    Dec 15th 2024, 7:32 AM

    Leinster need more International mercenaries.

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    Mute Peter Calvey
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    Dec 15th 2024, 4:13 PM

    If Cullen does win the Championship Cup this season.
    He has to go.
    With a squad like that.
    He should have win 2/3 of them.
    No more jobs for the boys.

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