Queen/Obama Visit - House Searches

gurramok

lxflyer wrote: »

You said that "The Zoo for example will lose millions of euro due to its long closure" in your earlier post.

I'm merely making the point from the same link that the zoo will be shut only on two days and will (I quote) "be open as normal" on all other days albeit with restricted access and parking.

There is quite a difference between the two.

They can reach that gate via the 46a as most other non-driving zoo visitors have done over the years!

How are people going to get to the zoo on restricted access days? This has never been explained.

The 46A comes from the southside, explain how will that bus get there with closures in various parts of the city centre.

old hippy

gurramok wrote: »

The 46A comes from the southside, explain how will that bus get there with closures in various parts of the city centre.

We southsiders look down our noses at royal restrictions, the 46a shall prevail as it always has. No nouveau riche monarch can tell us otherwise.

gurramok

Update http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0513/breaking38.html

IT wrote:

Gardaí have insisted business will continue as normal in Dublin this weekend and next week, despite some traffic and parking restrictions to facilitate next week's visit by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.

Citizens may, however, beg to differ as An Garda Síochána has also warned that barriers will be placed along certain routes, that some streets and bridges may be closed temporarily, and that pedestrians may be subject to searches for security reasons.

There is also likely to be traffic congestion at certain times and there may be changes to public transport routes.

The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, arrive on Tuesday for a four-day visit to Dublin, Kildare and Cork.

Parking restrictions start in Dublin city centre from 6am tomorrow, and members of the public have been urged to use public transport where possible.

Changes to public transport routes will be flagged by the transport operators, gardaí said. Some congestion and delays are likely.

From Sunday, some roads will be subject to temporary closures, including the N7, N4 and M50, Phoenix Park, the north and south quays in Dublin and adjacent bridges and streets.

LXFlyer

gurramok wrote: »

How are people going to get to the zoo on restricted access days? This has never been explained.

The 46A comes from the southside, explain how will that bus get there with closures in various parts of the city centre.

For goodness sakes we've not been told what the specific road closures actually are yet, only a vague statement that there will be some temporary road closures - you're putting the cart before the horse.

It still does not change the fact that you clearly said the zoo was shut for an extended period, which it quite clearly is not.

Degsy

lxflyer wrote: »

It still does not change the fact that you clearly said the zoo was shut for an extended period, which it quite clearly is not.

The zoo should not be closed at all..the animals have done nothng to deserve this level of imposition.

donegalgirl28

donegalgirl28 wrote: »

So my mother has her chemotherapy appointment next week, Wed and Thurs, how am I meant to get from Finglas to JAmes's Hospital with all these road closures????? the M50 is closed, Christchurch and James St.

You'll have no problem on the M50 on the Wednesday. You could also come in through phibsboro, onto the south quays, up to SCR and onto James St from there. If that junction is closed follow the SCR and come in the gate up there.

On Thursday, there is the event in the convention centre. Expect north quays to be closed at certain times. the same route should do you or you can take your normal route. Or again take the M50.

Gardaí will announce the closures/diversions on the night before so it will give you a better chance to plan your route. Also, maybe carry your mothers appointment letter and some id for both of you. If you don't have a letter i'm sure the hospital will arrange something for you.

Degsy

Degsy wrote: »

The zoo should not be closed at all..the animals have done nothng to deserve this level of imposition.

Some people will say the zoo shouldn't be open and animals shouldn't be in captivity.

Degsy

foreign wrote: »

Some people will say the zoo shouldn't be open and animals shouldn't be in captivity.

Well when those people start washing themselves and working for a living then we will listen to them.

Degsy

Degsy wrote: »

Well when those people start washing themselves and working for a living then we will listen to them.

Listening to them would be just like listening to somebody ranting about the Queen visiting Dublin and being upset about some disruption to the normal way of life!

gurramok

foreign wrote: »

Listening to them would be just like listening to somebody ranting about the Queen visiting Dublin and being upset about some disruption to the normal way of life!

Suppose it helps a Garda to pay the bills, all this bumper overtime would make them pro-visit.

true

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

I live in the city and I don't give a flying **** if they want to search me. I have nothing to hide.

Same here. Anything that should help bring in foreign tourism / raise the profile of the country if its handled properly is bound to have economic spin-offs...badly needed.

Yillan

I'll be going around with a backpack and a stuffed jumper for the whole week hoping I get patted down. Just for a bit of human contact...

so lonely

monument

gurramok wrote: »

Nice propaganda there FreudianSlippers. The city centre will be closed at unspecified times throughout the period in question. The public will not have guaranteed access to the shopping areas with road closures all over, the uncertainly of it all will drive shoppers away to the suburbs. The Zoo for example will lose millions of euro due to its long closure. Workers will not be able to access their jobs, thats loss of earnings. God help the taxi drivers!

The British queen will be visiting Guinness Brewery, that will mean the poster will not be able to access James Hospital by any mobile transport on the day she visits(which we do not even know exact time yet). If its another day, the Finglas bus will not make it into town as she will be somewhere else in the city!!

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

This is just blatantly untrue.

The city centre will not be closed at all. Public transport will run, pedestrians will still be allowed access and roads will be open at almost all times (bar the M50, N7 & N4) but diversions will be put in place temporarily where and when necessary.

James' hospital will be accessible at all times, to say anything to the contrary is untrue and scaremongering.

Where do you get your information or are you just making it up?

I think the two of you are somewhat in the wrong here. Both going towards extremes.

But you can't say what gurramok said is "blatantly untrue" as he is right in saying that there will be closures and uncertainly. The closures however temporary are still closures -- and we have been told that streets, including footpaths will be blocked outside the places she is to visit. The uncertainly makes it far worse.

On the other hand, will the zoo lose millions???

Lab_Mouse

foreign wrote: »

you don't have to answer the question. If you do then you are being civil. If not,I''ll respect your right to privacy

FYP

Of course thats not gonna happen.The 2 eamon's from tipperary will get out of their squad car,walk over to you,stand as close as they can,invading your personal space and ask you to empty your pockets.

they will get even more p1ssed off when you say no that you're not gonna do their job.So they empty your pockets rather roughly hoping to provoke a reponse,looking for a legitimate excuse to arrest you.

Lab_Mouse

are the gardai sealing roof top doors like they are with the manholes?

Any apartment I.ve been in roof access has always been from a door in the hall.Would be fairly easy for someone to get into the block and jimmy the door open

Degsy

Yillan wrote: »

I'll be going around with a backpack and a stuffed jumper for the whole week hoping I get patted down. Just for a bit of human contact...

so lonely

I'm a get a snorkel jacket and a balaclava and a pair of natty tennis shoes to go with my suspicious-looking holdall.

AnonoBoy

Degsy wrote: »

I'm a get a snorkel jacket and a balaclava and a pair of natty tennis shoes to go with my suspicious-looking holdall.

And of course you're going to refuse to be searched.

Which will be hilarious.

Degsy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

And of course you're going to refuse to be searched.

Which will be hilarious.

I know it will...ah will ye stop..i never laughed so much in all me day.

AnonoBoy

Degsy wrote: »

I know it will...ah will ye stop..i never laughed so much in all me day.

It will be pretty funny when you come back and tell us all how you hopped to it when a Garda searched you and you totally had to go back on all the nonsense you posted on the internet about how you were never going to allow anyone to search you.

That'll be hilarious alright. I would buy tickets for that one.

But of course that won't happen because you will do whatever they ask you to.

SoWatchaWant

I'm not a republican hatemonger but I'm not happy about this visit from the queen. I think it's already inconvenienced most dubliners and she hasn't even arrived yet. The country is shoveling borrowed money around to pay for it and what do the public get in return? **** all. Ordinary people won't even get a glimpse of her. The police are knocking on doors looking for lists of names of residents and searching houses. The city has been turned into a playground for her at the expense of people who actually live here. The police and the government have a duty to us, not to a foreign monarch. **** the queen. I believe in democracy.

Degsy

SoWatchaWant wrote: »

I believe in democracy.

Thats your problem right there!

gurramok

monument wrote: »

On the other hand, will the zoo lose millions???

On the two days it is closed and from the sharp dropdown in visitors for the entire period due to restricted access. It's not just the Zoo, whole streets have been closed off already(Parnell St & Frederick st) and along with the other forthcoming closures, it will put people off coming into town.

I went for a walk around town yesterday at about 3pm, one would ask where did all the shoppers go as it seemed to be half as full as on a normal Sunday. That to me points to a severe loss of trade for the entire visit in the days ahead.

FreudianSlippers

http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2011/0529/ireland/queens-visit-sparks-tourists-interest-in-visiting-ireland-506833.html

The Queen’s visit to Ireland has sparked a surge in interest in tourist trips.

So far this month, searches on the Hotels.com UK website have risen by 69% for Dublin, 74% for Cork, 191% for Kildare and 80% for Tipperary compared with the same period last year.

Ireland has also become more attractive due to a 4% fall – to an average of €80 - in hotel room prices, Hotels.com said.

The company’s survey showed the average cost of a room in Dublin has dipped 7% to €78.50 and Dublin is one of the 15 best-value cities for high-end accommodation, with four-star hotel rooms at €84 and five-star ones at €150.

Another boost comes from the cutting of the VAT rate for the tourism industry from 13.5% to 9% to stimulate the economy.

Hotels.com Ireland and UK market management director Seamus MacCormaic said: “There is no doubt that Ireland currently offers excellent value to visitors and the high-profile visits of the Queen and President Obama have led to a boost in interest in the destination.

“Average hotel prices in Ireland are now the cheapest in western Europe and we expect to see them remain at this level for some time.”

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2011/0529/ireland/queens-visit-sparks-tourists-interest-in-visiting-ireland-506833.html#ixzz1NqGA3H00

Failte Ireland have said that the €30mil cost is worth €300million in advertising and released figures that tourism is the largest indigenous industry; responsible for in excess of 4% of GNP in the Republic of Ireland and employing approximately 200,000 people. Approximately 6.9 million overseas visitors in 2010, delivering revenue of approximately €3 billion. Overseas tourism business accounts for 59% of all tourism revenue.

Transport have confirmed this: http://www.transport.ie/pressRelease.aspx?Id=337

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/tourism-enjoys-timely-boost-in-wake-of-vips-2660971.html

THE recent state visits by Queen Elizabeth and US President Barack Obama have given tourism here a shot in the arm.

Tourist hotspots have seen a welcome rise in footfall, and hotels and travel sites have seen an increase in the amount of inquiries and bookings.

Aebhric McGibney, director of policy and communications at Dublin Chamber of Commerce, estimated the global publicity for the visits could be worth as much as €150m in advertising terms for Ireland.

The Rock of Cashel in Co Tipperary has so far been the biggest beneficiary from the queen's visit, with an almost 50pc leap in visitor numbers.

Around 655 people had been visiting each day on the week before the regal visit, but that increased to more than 1,000 per day the week after.

Visitor numbers had been up 25pc on April last year following the announcement of the queen's itinerary, and, for the year so far, business was up 16pc.

"We're hearing a lot of Irish voices in there, families seem to be stopping off to have a look, which is very welcome," site manager Elaine Moriarty said.

The Book of Kells at Trinity College in Dublin is also enjoying a rise in popularity.

"It will take a little while for it all to percolate but certainly we've been incredibly busy since May 18. We have queues and we are a lot busier than this time last year," visitor services manager Anne-Marie Diffley said.

The visits have also given Ireland an image overhaul in the eyes of our nearest neighbours.

Hotels

So far this month, searches on the Hotels.com UK website have risen by 69pc for Dublin, 74pc for Cork, 191pc for Kildare and 80pc for Tipperary, compared with the same period last year.

Hotels.com's UK and Ireland market management director Seamus MacCormaic said: "There is no doubt that Ireland offers excellent value to visitors, and the high-profile visits have led to a boost in interest in the destination."

Mr Obama visited his ancestral homestead for just a few hours but the impact of the trip will remain long into the future.

Tourists are still flocking into Moneygall, Co Offaly, since he paid a visit.

Ollie Hayes's pub, where Mr Obama had a pint of Guinness, is seeing a brisk increase in trade, according to Mr Hayes.

"Lots of Americans are coming in and it's much busier than this time last year. I can't put a figure on it but it is much, much busier."

He said that the whole town was receiving more trade.

"Mr Obama has been here now, so many people are coming to the village and visiting different shops around and then coming into the pubs and having a cup of tea or a drink.

"There are a lot of people around now as I speak; a lot of Americans and a lot of Irish, too. It's great for business in the community."

He also said Guinness sales had risen, especially among women, since Michelle Obama had a small glass of the black stuff.

Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said the visits gave the country a unique advantage in an incredibly competitive marketplace.

"The historic visits have provided us with an unparalleled opportunity to drive home the message around the world that there has never been a better time to visit the island of Ireland," he said.

- Fiona Ellis and Aideen Sheehan

I'm not looking for an apology, just admit you were wrong
Told you I'd come back when I was proven correct