I thank the Minister of State for joining us. Let me be clear. I am not looking for the State to intervene when it comes to planning decisions. That is not our purpose in coming in here today. However, we are conscious that the senior members of Government have made observations publicly on issues in Dublin city centre, most pointedly the dereliction and vacancy. Deputy Ennis and I want to bring forward some very significant anomalies and contradictions in planning, particularly in the Dublin 7 area, that have an impact on local businesses. I want to focus on two businesses in particular, the Cowtown Market and the Stay With Us café in Dublin 7. Before they opened, their locations were the site of dumping and antisocial behaviour. They were places where the aesthetic quality left a lot to be desired. These businesses then invested in their community. One built a little café with wooden seats, where every morning in Phibsborough, you will see people going in, bringing their dogs and sitting there. It is a lovely little space, and it absolutely adds to the community. The Cowtown Café, just off Stoneybatter, also took a place that was previously the site of dumping and antisocial behaviour, and invested in it. It now has little café stalls and saunas there. Inexplicably, Dublin City Council has told them that they have to remove the infrastructure they have built, which has added to the community. I am dealing with issues in Dublin 7 where there is an absence of enforcement at very significant conservation buildings, yet these two businesses have been told they are outside the planning. As they have not met planning standards, the whole business has to go, rather than Dublin City Council simply working with them to help them get to the right side of planning. I am raising this to the Chamber with Deputy Ennis not because we want the Minister of State to intervene but to raise the issue and see what we can do to work better.

Sentiment score: 0.13

I thank the Minister of State for his response and his understanding of the situation. There is a frustration. We spend so much time talking vacancy and dereliction in Dublin Central that the potential for losing two businesses that have added to the vibrancy and improved the aesthetic quality is grating to the point that it is nonsensical. For a small independent cafe like Stay With Us, if it is to make an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála, that is going to cost over €4,000. It is a small independent cafe that is being held to the same appeals standard as a large company. It just does not make sense. As a community that is trying desperately to add to its area, support our local independent businesses, and engage with the parts of the community that are really investing in improving Stoneybatter and Phibsborough, it is so frustrating that Dublin City Council can just tell people to take something down and then it is gone. We know what comes afterwards.

Sentiment score: 0.06