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IT’S THE ISSUE that just won’t go away for the Government.
After a quiet few weeks at the start of the year, there’ll be no escaping water charges and water charge protests for the next month – and beyond.
The February 2nd Irish Water deadline (which turned out not to be a deadline at all, according to Environment Minister Alan Kelly) focused minds around the country on the fact that it would just be a few months before the first bills begin dropping through letterboxes.
Meanwhile – among the more active protest groups – the recent series of dawn arrests by gardaí investigating ‘Jobstown’ and last Thursday’s jailing of four northside Dublin protesters will give organisers of the anti-charges movement a new impetus.
Two of the protesters sentenced this week – Derek Byne and Bernie Hughes – have been given 28 day sentences in prison (although they’re likely to get out earlier than that, once remission is taken into account). Others have been handed 56-day sentences.
Their imprisonment will provide a focal point for Dublin-based activists – particularly the left-wing groups based in Dublin 5/13 and the wider Tallaght area.
That means we can expect more scenes like last Thursday’s in the coming weeks — florescent bib-wearing demonstrators marching through the city centre, and vigils outside prisons and garda stations.
And if Byrne and Hughes serve the expected 21 days in jail, we’ll likely have a high-profile release rally (or two) in the run-up to Saint Patrick’s Day.
Support for the sort of direct-action groups involved in demonstrations targeting meter-installations is limited. However, social media-savvy groups like Dublin Says No, Tallaght Says No (etc) have shown they can organise ‘flash’ demonstrations of hundreds of people within hours, in reaction to a specific event.
Similarly, the large turnout for the 31 January Dublin marches - which were organised mostly online by grassroots groups, rather than the umbrella unions-and-left-wing-led ‘Right2Water’ – confounded the expectations of many.
The protests three weeks ago showed there are still huge numbers of people willing to turn out to voice their opposition to water charges (specifically) and Government policy (in general).
The next large-scale demo, on 21 March, will be organised by Right2Water.
A turnout in excess of the January actions is all-but-guaranteed — as the group’s professional PR team roll-out a days-long pre-publicity campaign, with Dáíl-adjacent press conferences, TV and radio appearances etc. etc.
With the first bills set to arrive in April — they’re almost certain to convince many of the ‘soft supporters’ the coalition hoped would be placated by last November’s Irish Water relaunch to take to the streets again.
Of course, the fact that the Dublin demonstration is taking place just days after Paddy’s Day is no coincidence… Already, online campaigners are urging people to bring their placards to the parade (and even, in one case, to ‘hijack’ it).
Meantime, we can expect a sizeable protest in Dublin city centre again later — starting at the Central Bank, at 2pm.
According to an Anti-Austerity Alliance press release:
“This protest, originally called by arrested Jobstown protesters against political policing has now been extended to call for the release of the five sentenced to jail [...] for going within 20 metres of water meter installation.
It is being supported by a wide range of organisations involved in campaigning against the water charges and water meter installation.
And in Castlebar, where Fine Gael is holding its national conference, it’s reported a ‘wall of security’ has been put in place in advance of a Right2Water/People Before Profit/Mayo Says No march to the event centre at the Royal Theatre.
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Something needs to be done about An Taisce, they really are more of a hindrance than anything.
@Neil Mac:
Agreed. Part of the problem is that they consider 22 stories to be a “sky scraper”
They need to be dragged by the lobes to places like Shanghai to witness proper high density city living.
@Milk The Drones: It appears, although note in the article, that the use of the building was changed from a hotel to an office block, with up to 891 employees at operational time. Is this how he got the planning approved in the end?
@Neil Mac: What would you do Neil, repeal them? Maybe you should start a movement.
@Milk The Drones: Was just going to say that the building isnt much taller than Liberty Hall.
@Neil Mac: nimby quango
@Neil Mac: basically what you are saying is suppressing free speech and democratic participation = totalitarianism
@Neil Mac: At last An Bord Pleannala have made the right decision, those dinosaurs An Taisce should be abolished
An Taisce are too right. If built, this building will be Dublin’s Tour Montparnasse, a massive mistake sticking up in the centre. Highrise were supposed to be out in the Docklands. Where are the Georgian Society & Civic Trust? They should be giving out about this too.
@Vincent Byrne:
Maybe they should bulldoze the ones around it and replace with similar to this? (Or higher)
problem solved
@Patrick Nolan: lol the highrise nerds are out in force today! Anyway don’t worry, there’s another crash due shortly and Johnny’s Freudian monument-to-self probably won’t be built.
@Neil Mac: No fan of An Taisce, but this building looks ugly to me.
@Vincent Byrne: just another 34 floors needed to be comparable in any way. An Taisce would admire your hyperbole
@Niall Brew: The average height of buildings in Dublin is 4 or 5 storeys, whereas the average height of buildings in Paris, along the Hausmann boulevards, is 8 storeys, including their mansard roofs, so Vincent byrne’s comparison of the johnny ronan building with Montparnasse tower is spot on.
About bloody time, Dublin needs too move with the times and go upwards. Hopefully this will pave the way for even taller buildings in the future too.
@Brian Stafford: The quality of comment here is abysmal! It’s just a load of highrise fans who don’t understand urbanism.
@Vincent Byrne: And what are you a fan of? An Taisce who are against this develeopment because “The decision will have major repercussions for the status of Dublin; it is unlikely to now achieve the coveted UNESCO World Heritage Site status”.
Yes! Lets stall all development of the city and remain low-rise and lagging behind all other EU capitals so we may have the vague possibility of gaining some arbitrary status nobody has ever heard of let alone cares for.
@Vincent Byrne: Enlighten us so…….
@Will Thompson: to save me typing look up Newstalk interview with Orla Hegarty of UCD school of planning & architecture of 27th september 2018 where residential density / height issues for Dublin are discussed in detail.
About time. The area where the 2 chimneys should be a high rise cbd with rail access, sea views but no let’s put an incinerator there.
@Chewey Bacca: cannot understand the logic there. That whole area could be developed, a few high rises and well away from the “old charm” of the city centre
The smoke stacks?
@Neil Mac: There is plans for a whole new “urban quarter” to be built at the chimneys on the Irish Glass Bottle site, 3500 new homes are planned for the site. Theres a dispute of social/affordable housing on the site. The council still own 25% of the land and the original deal was to include 900 Soc & Aff homes but the recievers only want to include 350… I dont think thats the hold up on development beginning though but theres apparently a whole new area coming, right beside the lovely incinerator eyesore with tonnes of trucks passing through on the daily.
@Chewey Bacca: as per the Dublin Port Masterplan they’re going to be building a new container terminal on the site of the old power station.
It could seriously detract from the amenity of the junkies who sun themselves in the area.
All the same it’s great to see Ronan bounce back. He was bankrupt when the banks went a calling for their money but he’s flush again now somehow. I love Ireland
@Roy O’Rourke: Bankrupt and being paid €200k a year by NAMA.
@Roy O’Rourke: and he will go “bankrupt ” again at the drop of a hat
(Laughing into his hands )
@Quentin Moriarty: That owl trout Ronan still about ?
@ParSim: Incorrect. He bought himself out of NAMA by paying them they money he owed 5 years ago.
@Mark Wallace: he has massive debt write offs by banks to help him in his way
Don’t fool yourself.
@ParSim: miaow!
@Quentin Moriarty:
Link?
A physical manifestation of Ronan’s ego. Another blow to the city…
@Greg Dunne: Why?
@Greg Dunne: offices and hotels for rich people. no housing provided
An Taisce won’t be happy until we’re all homeless… they seem to object to everything above bungalow height!!
@paul: and kids eating meat..
@paul: there are no homes provided in this development
@Gavin Daly: So what
@Jon Carlin: responding to the thread. read above
No problem with the height, but seeing as it will now be a centre piece for the city… it could be made a lot prettier couldn’t it? Should be a show piece, not a bog standard, boring building IMO. Say what you want about old NAMA/new central bank building, at least it’s attractive and creative. This looks rather… meh.
@Tony O’Regan: It probably wouldn’t have been approved if it was a progressive design.
@Cynical:
They cost more.
@Tony O’Regan: it was rejectef
Amazing how this news breaks at 6.am on a Sunday morning
@Stephen Hughes: it happened yesterday. I only found out about it from another commenter on a different journal article yesterday.
He should be explaining his role in the 2008 disaster… no doubt though he’ll be jetting off to exotic locations in a private jet with a few models.
Nice work if you can get it.
@DJ François: The Public Sector together with the Banks were responsible for the crash in 2008.
I’m all for high rises, but do it right. sticking a behemoth in the middle of the low rise centre is a mistake. let us have a new high rise district down the quays, but not smack bang in the middle of the city. looking at the picture, it isn’t progress but rather one individual with no class pulling a stroke on councillors and planners.
Up She goes lads…
Hopefully these yokes are designed with taste, spread out a bit and the public transport gets upgraded too for the extra workers in construction then hotel staff and clients and inhabitants, cycle and electric scooter tracks etc..
Some opportunities during and after the build here..
Maybe as part of the planning for these things we could have a clause that a green area/public park, the same size /sq meterage, provided by the council, has to be built by the developers on city land as close as possible to the site..
@Colm Molloy: Don’t worry, there’ll be another crash and it won’t be built….. Which is a good thing as highrise are traps. In a fire, curtains for everyone above the fire.
@Vincent Byrne: Hows life in 1900s Ireland.. We are moving forward…
@Vincent Byrne: yeah jesus how does the rest of the World cope.They’re the dopes…we are the geniuses.
The traffic is a nightmare around tara st/pearse at/quays. Imagine what it’ll be like when you throw in a massive building site
@Artur Gurta: * pearse st (sorry can’t be bothered with caps)
@Artur Gurta: Yeah let’s stop all development because of the impact it has on traffic. Deliveries can be scheduled for off-peak hours and it’s next to a train station and bus routes. Construction workers don’t want to drive in peak city traffic as much as anyone else.
@Artur Gurta: In fairness Pearse street area is extremely well served by public transport. You’d really want a good excuse to be driving there to work no ?
@Artur Gurta: You really haven’t thought your comment through I see!
@Artur Gurta: So we should just stop building everywere there is traffic then?
Finally
The “brown envelope era” returns……!?
Fantastic news. More of this please!
@Toomasu Sumitsu: Don’t worry, there’ll be another economic crash soon and it won’t be built. Just as well as the building is in the wrong place.
How is this hotel going to help attract international talent as per the article??
@Uszek Mateuszek: by giving them a place to work in a convenient location I suppose.
Great to see another architect of the crash just carry on regardless. Writing planning his own planing laws it seems to. No surprise he’s a d o b lackey
@Brian Conway: Let’s hope there’s a provision for ‘social’ in this building. It’s prime city centre location would be ideal for trips to the welfare office
@R Farrell: Its muppets like ronan getting the welfare my dear. let’s hope you don’t have to far to travel home from whatever asylum you’ve escaped from.
An Taisce should look after this country’s heritage, not prevent its future.
The little man is back with big plans; 2008 does is a distant memory! Ireland mother ireland!!!!
Very tall buildings have negative impact on public realm – deep shade, wind tunnel effect etc.. So much for making Dublin a liveable city. Whatever about the docklands the historic core of what is a small town? Ludicrous. Short sighted plebs.
@Daniel Sheedy: jaysus the whole world must have it wrong and we the genisuses arevthe only ones doing it right. Small town? Thinking like ypurs is the very reason we are in this mess
Ireland a great little country to be bankrupt in…if u have the right friends
An Taisce Have done a great job in keeping our city a place where tourists stop off on the way from the U.S or China to sample the pubs and experience the city centre church’s and colleges .
Sadly though it would be nice if those Americans and Chinese would also view the city as able to host their company and staff, bring jobs to a city who’s only draw is Guinness and craic.
As long as I agree that Dublin needs to “go” higher in city centre buildings I don’t see how is this hotel going to help attract talent as per the Frank Knight comment?? Any ideas?
Skyscraper? There’s trees taller than it.
Can’t take the planning authorities seriously when they say the building could impact on the views of the Customs House.
Have they seen all the cables, traffic signs, and poles the Council has put in front of Trinity?
Can he knock the SIPTU building across the river while hes at it.
All we need now is a new Liberty Hall and Dublin will have it’s own twin towers
@Jon Carlin: The same building – a 22 tower storey – was refused for the Liberty Hall site 6 years ago. That is what is so strange about the current decision. Something funny going on. Journal commenters are not asking the right questions!
Amazing how this is breaking news on a Saturday afternoon
@Stephen Hughes: That’s twice you’ve been amazed. You either like being amazed or are easily amazed. Amazing that!
@TellingItAsItIs: And as for the floor plan… its a maze ;)
As long as they keep it in the docklands.
@Diogenes: it’s hardly gonna get up and start walking about the place now is it?……ok ok I’ll show myself out
It’s a city, not a museum.
Not one thing in human history has ever been built without getting something else out of the way first, and allowing the detritus of old, outdated, inefficient and, frankly, useless buildings block the development of new is a luxury only those who have finished being productive in life can afford.
Onwards and upwards.
I’m all for building up. Even much higher than this, but I’ll readily admit this isn’t the most interesting of designs.
That said DCC were 100% in the wrong here, as was the initial refusal of ABP to overturn it, against their own inspector’s advice. As was rightly pointed out when they initially rejected planning, DCC had zoned this area for high rise, yet rejected the application without any suggested remediation, based primarily on the building’s height.
Space in Dublin is limited, and while there’s no silver bullet for the housing crisis, it won’t be resolved with ridiculous arbitrary height limits on buildings, especially when the council goes around refusing permission for buildings within its own stated policy.
Time for Dublin to GROW UP !!!. Really. I have advocated this since I first returned to Ireland as an International corporate lawyer with focus on construction some 25 years ago. Since then, thwarted on this and long awaited metro system, when international investors -parties linked up, Let not the Parochials thwart us again!, Damien Hughes, Foxrock.
Low to mid rise… We have yet to see high rise!
Wow the journal-commenter know-nothings are out in force today! You NEVER get any informed planning comment here. You just get Neil mac and an endless stream of highrise nerds saying saying ‘abolish Pleanala, abolish Taisce, permit everything…’
Wonder what us dubs will call it. Any ideas?
What an absolute load of crap. O’Connell St is a total dump as is Liffey Quays. If Custom House is such an important building why don’t they do something with it. Like a visitor centre instead of just there and nobody knows anything about it. Thank God this got through it will improve the area. The objectors should be sacked!
distract from the area like liberty hall is a eyesore needs to be rebuilt
I hope they’re not going to call it Ronan Point. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronan_Point
I don’t know about “the River Liffey conservation area and the O’Connell Street and environs architectural conservation area”, but the whole of Dublin is so choked with traffic (or was until C-19), that until they do something about it, “protecting it” seems like a bad joke
So we have started at 22 you can bet there wont be any homeless moving in and it wont stop at 22.A Disaster for Dublin.Whats wrong with going down and putting in the latest tech in providing light.
have your say