What is wrong with Dublin City Centre?

Dublin Spur

O'Connell St and its surrounds should be magnificent but it's a kip.

I think the core of the problem sadly is the locals. They are given the opportunity to live within a stones throw of our country's main thoroughfare but have little or no respect for it.

Replacing the public housing projects with new build private housing would improve things no end. Resulting with new communities of people who contribute to society and who appropriate where they live.

For example, you can't live around the corner from Buckingham Palace for free, these special areas of cities need to be kept free from crime and be kept very pro-tourist, but here in Dublin you can live for free around the corner from O'Connell St. It's just wrong.

By the way I'm not saying that everyone in public housing in the North Inner City is the problem, but more that the core of the problem comes from people within this community.

amtc

I have worked all of my working life in o connell street and abbey street. I was buying a stamp in the gpo last August to send a card to my grandmother at 8am (I worked upstairs) and saw a drug deal in the entry hall. I told the guards outside and they said not their issue. I told the security guys inside whom I know and they said not their issue. I was in Grand Central same night and heard a drug deal.

Yet I'm fairly ok around there. I was walking down Abbey Street at night time recently and a guy came near me with a knife to slit my bag strap. He was stopped by a fellow junkie who said 'don't she's one if ours'. I assume it's because I've been walking up and down that street for 15 years!

I did feel very unsafe though recently as I walked back from docklands. Just zombies wandering along. I saw a documentary about spice and it must've been something like that.

Wanderer78

Dublin Spur wrote:

Replacing the public housing projects with new build private housing would improve things no end. Resulting with new communities of people who contribute to society and who appropriate where they live.

What do we do about these 'problematic' people?

Sebastian Dangerfield

While the number of homeless people and junkies in Dublin has increased over recent years, its not isolated to here. I was in Manchester over new years and it was 10 times worse. They dont seem to be as visible in touristy parts of London but Im sure its similar there.

What I dont get about Dublin is the hordes of people selling cigarettes on Moore St. What started as a couple of people discreetly offering them in the door of the Ilac has turned into a fully fledged industry, and they seem to go untroubled. Where are the guards, and why dont they care?

Disagree with the OP by the way. Like any cities there are issues, but theres nowhere Id rather live (without winning the lotto).

Wanderer78

Sebastian Dangerfield wrote:

While the number of homeless people and junkies in Dublin has increased over recent years, its not isolated to here. I was in Manchester over new years and it was 10 times worse. They dont seem to be as visible in touristy parts of London but Im sure its similar there.

Was also in Manchester recently, can also confirm their homeless issues. Very sad to see

Dyr

Dublin Spur wrote: »

I think the core of the problem sadly is the locals. They are given the opportunity to live within a stones throw of our country's main thoroughfare but have little or no respect for it.

Replacing the public housing projects with new build private housing would improve things no end. Resulting with new communities of people who contribute to society and who appropriate where they live.

For example, you can't live around the corner from Buckingham Palace for free, these special areas of cities need to be kept free from crime and be kept very pro-tourist, but here in Dublin you can live for free around the corner from O'Connell St. It's just wrong.

By the way I'm not saying that everyone in public housing in the North Inner City is the problem, but more that the core of the problem comes from people within this community.

Can you back any of that guff up?

Have a go. Particularly the free house bit. That should be simple

Dublin Spur

Bambi wrote: »

Can you back any of that guff up?

Have a go. Particularly the free house bit. That should be simple

why do you think Montjoy Sq is shambolic compared to Merrion Sq ?

Part of the reason in my opinion is that there's much more privately owned property near Merrion Sq

MrMorooka

Bambi wrote: »

Can you back any of that guff up?

Have a go. Particularly the free house bit. That should be simple

Perhaps not free, but massively subsidised : https://www.housingagency.ie/housing-information/what-is-social-housing/renting-from-my-local-authority.aspx

Local authority rents are based on a system called ‘differential rents’. This means that the amount of rent you pay depends on the amount of your total household income.

• If your income is low, your rent payment will reflect this and will be low.
• If your income increases so will your rent payment.
• The income of all household members is considered and rent calculations are adjusted accordingly.
• If your income or the income of anyone in your household changes, you must inform the local authority and rent will be adjusted upwards or downwards in accordance to the change.

In practise that means rents in LA properties in the city centre would not be anywhere close to the market rents.

MartyMcFly84

The above comment initially sounds harsh but there is some truth in it.

You don't see so much public housing in high real estate or tourist areas the better kept cites of the world. Generally they would be on the outskirts of the city many other historic cities.

For example there is public housing right on the corner of Stephens Green or Portobello and Connell Street areas where most people on a salary would not be able to afford. But have to commute to from outside the city to these areas to work.

Dyr

Dublin Spur wrote: »

why do you think Montjoy Sq is shambolic compared to Merrion Sq ?

Part of the reason in my opinion is that there's much more privately owned property near Merrion Sq

You made the statements chief, all you have to do is back them up, Why aren't you doing it?

Dublin Spur

Bambi wrote: »

You made the statements chief, all you have to do is back them up, Why aren't you doing it?

My statement is just an opinion based on what I see around me every day

I think most would agree that when you own your own house you are more likely to care about its upkeep and the community.

In my opinion the north Inner City would not be as dirty and dangerous if more of its housing was private.

Living beside O'Connell St should be a privilege, instead its dangerous ghetto.

Dyr

Dublin Spur wrote: »

My statement is just an opinion based on what I see around me every day

I think most would agree that when you own your own house you are more likely to care about its upkeep and the community.

In my opinion the north Inner City would not be as dirty and dangerous if more of its housing was private.

Living beside O'Connell St should be a privilege, instead its dangerous ghetto.

Ah right turns out that you can't back you're opinion up with anything, always good to establish that first anyway

Based on what you see? You can tell someones address by looking at them now. Are you Derren Brown?

Sounds like guff to me tbh. Before you go anywhere else do you have any figures for public and private house ownership in Dublin 1 and 2?

alastair

Dublin Spur wrote: »

My statement is just an opinion based on what I see around me every day

I think most would agree that when you own your own house you are more likely to care about its upkeep and the community.

In my opinion the north Inner City would not be as dirty and dangerous if more of its housing was private.

Living beside O'Connell St should be a privilege, instead its dangerous ghetto.

Speaking as an actual long-term resident of the north inner city, this 'dangerous' business has me a bit confused. What danger are you referring to? The north inner city is dirty (litter/fly-tipping) for sure, but it's got that in common with pretty much the entire countryside. The privatisation of rubbish collection has exasperated the problem of dumping in a locality that has a lot of deprivation. The difference between Merrion Square and Mountjoy Square isn't anything to do with public/private housing, but of housing - there's simply a greater number of people living adjacent to Mountjoy Square. Having said that, I'm still confused about the supposed problem you seem to perceive in Mountjoy Square. It's generally busy, and hassle-free. It's re-landscaping has just started, along with the restoration/media-blasting of the railings, so it's a work in progress, but it's generally just a busy park.

Reads like an awful lot of loose slapdash scaremongering tbh. The city would be much better if it wasn't for those nasty council tenants? Perhaps you had some manner of camp in mind?

boombang

I think there's a problem in Ireland that anti social behaviour is tolerated. I don't think social housing is necessarily a problem in parts of the city that we'd like to be especially attractive (the centre). However, when tolerance of anti social behaviour is not confronted by society then we should expect trouble.

I live in the city centre near a concentration of social housing where I believe a minority of residents make trouble for everybody else, irrespective of their housing tenure.

I reckon DCC should make it very easy to get thrown out of your social housing unit for anti social behaviour. I think that would sharpen everybody's act up quickly.

Dr Crayfish

Regardless of their behaviour or pyjama wearing, I could never understood why people who don't pay taxes are given flats and houses in prime real estate areas. Should the city centre, which is the hub for most of our business, not be where the working people should live? Companies thinking of locating here due to Brexit are being deterred by the lack of available properties too, move social housing out of the city centre and rebuild somewhat affordable places for working people who have to commute.

Stephen15

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Regardless of their behaviour or pyjama wearing, I could never understood why people who don't pay taxes are given flats and houses in prime retail areas. Should the city centre, which is the hub for most of our business, not be where the working people should live? Companies thinking of locating here due to Brexit are being deterred by the lack of available properties too, move social housing out of the city centre and rebuild somewhat affordable places for working people who have to commute.

Great let's make more ghettos in the suburbs some great examples out there like Ballymun and parts of Paris and London

Dr Crayfish

Stephen15 wrote: »

Great let's make more ghettos in the suburbs some great examples out there like Ballymun and parts of Paris and London

Why not? Aren't they already heroin riddled ghettos in the centre? If they were given decent accommodation in some suburb somewhere and they make a total mess of it, how can that be blamed on anyone but themselves? Ballymun is still a total kip, they just put them in different houses. So many decent working people are struggling to make ends meet and can't get anywhere near a mortgage yet some people get free houses in f*cking town. The mind boggles.
It'll never change anyway with people like AAA and Sinn Fein having seats in the Dail.

Dyr

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Why not? Aren't they already heroin riddled ghettos in the centre? If they were given decent accommodation in some suburb somewhere and they make a total mess of it, how can that be blamed on anyone but themselves? Ballymun is still a total kip, they just put them in different houses. So many decent working people are struggling to make ends meet and can't get anywhere near a mortgage yet some people get free houses in f*cking town. The mind boggles.
It'll never change anyway with people like AAA and Sinn Fein having seats in the Dail.

Living out in Ballymun all my life, never had a free house. Sounds like a nice deal though.


I'm sure you'd know all about these things though, you sure sound like you know it all

Dr Crayfish

Bambi wrote: »

Living out in Ballymun all my life, never had a free house. Sounds like a nice deal though.


I'm sure you'd know all about these things though, you sure sound like you know it all

Someone else mentioned Ballymun being a failure, I presume they meant the flats which were corpo housing, free. They just rehoused them in newer places around Ballymun and Poppintree area as far as I know, no?

Dyr

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Someone else mentioned Ballymun being a failure, I presume they meant the flats which were corpo housing, free. They just rehoused them in newer places around Ballymun and Poppintree area as far as I know, no?

Gew up in the flats, seem to remember my parents paying rent, where were the free ones?

Who's this "them" paleface? you seem to use the term a lot.

Dr Crayfish

Bambi wrote: »

Gew up in the flats, seem to remember my parents paying rent, where were the free ones?

Who's this "them" paleface? you seem to use the term a lot.

Ok well maybe I got it wrong, I thought people were given houses here and didn't have to pay rent, if they met certain criteria. I thought the corporation flats and houses around the city centre were given to people for free. Sorry if I'm wrong about that.
My Uncle actually had a flat in the flats in the 80s and I was in it a few times, I remember it being spacious and nice tbh. Anyway, Ballymun isn't what we're talking about here. I'm from the Northside and the North Inner City is pretty much a total dive with anti social behaviour all over the place. I like living in Dublin but it really is a total kip in places that should be looked after a lot better.

Stephen15

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Why not? Aren't they already heroin riddled ghettos in the centre? If they were given decent accommodation in some suburb somewhere and they make a total mess of it, how can that be blamed on anyone but themselves? Ballymun is still a total kip, they just put them in different houses. So many decent working people are struggling to make ends meet and can't get anywhere near a mortgage yet some people get free houses in f*cking town. The mind boggles.
It'll never change anyway with people like AAA and Sinn Fein having seats in the Dail.

What believe is we should have a mix of private and council dwellings I live in a reletively middle class area I won't say where in middle of our area is a small council development thats been there years and theres never any problems the people that live there are all either elderly or decent honest working people. Having large council estates like Ballymun, Finglas, Blanch, Clondalkin and Tallaght on the periphery of a city dosen't work as has been proven.

Wheeliebin30

I fear Ireland has really lost the run of itself with regards scumbags.

Whatever happened over the last 20 years they are now everywhere and increasing.

Some nasty people out there and they are breeding at an alarming rate.

Stephen15

Wheeliebin30 wrote: »

I fear Ireland has really lost the run of itself with regards scumbags.

Whatever happened over the last 20 years they are now everywhere and increasing.

Some nasty people out there and they are breeding at an alarming rate.

You dont get lockhards in town anymore theres one scumbag element thats gone.

Dinarius

I moved from Cork to Dublin over 30 years ago.

Dublin has transformed in that time. Yes, right now it's a mess. But, we've just had German friends from Köln staying for a week, and they were blown away by the quality of the food - restaurant and supermarket - and the shopping.

I can remember the Dublin of, "Will I mind your car for you, Sir?" i.e. Give us a few bob or someone will drag a nail down the side of it. Those days are gone, in my view.

Also, when I moved here first, almost every red brick was either an offIce or a (dump of a) flat. Dublin's red bricks are now the most sought after property in the city.

It has been transformed in 30 years, and in a year's time, when most of the construction is finished, it will be even better.

Cork, with a few notable exceptions - the transformation of UCC campus being one - has been frozen in time. I adore West Cork, but I hate Cork city.

I love Dublin, and I'll never leave it.

Great thread. Thanks for starting it.

D.

Dr Crayfish

Stephen15 wrote: »

What believe is we should have a mix of private and council dwellings I live in a reletively middle class area I won't say where in middle of our area is a small council development thats been there years and theres never any problems the people that live there are all either elderly or decent honest working people. Having large council estates like Ballymun, Finglas, Blanch, Clondalkin and Tallaght on the periphery of a city dosen't work as has been proven.

Yeah well ideally they'd be dispersed around different areas. I still think way too much of it is in the city centre, which really doesn't make sense.

Stephen15

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Yeah well ideally they'd be dispersed around different areas. I still think way too much of it is in the city centre, which really doesn't make sense.

Where in the city centre are they are not on O'Connell Street, Grafton Street, Stephens Green, Henry Street etc.

Dr Crayfish

Stephen15 wrote: »

Where in the city centre are they not on O'Connell Street, Grafton Street, Stephens Green, Henry Street etc.

Sorry don't understand the Q

Stephen15

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Sorry don't understand the Q

My point theres no social housing in the core city centre throughfares ie O'Connell Street, Henry Street, Grafton Street, Stephens Green etc.

Dr Crayfish

Stephen15 wrote: »

My point theres no social housing in the core city centre throughfares ie O'Connell Street, Henry Street, Grafton Street, Stephens Green etc.

Obviously not, but there's a lot of very central social housing