Dublin City Council slammed for ‘not taking care of Dorset Street’
Dublin City Council has been criticised for “not taking care of Dorset Street” to the point that businesses “aren’t even bothered” to apply for planning permission when making changes.
That’s according to Green Party Councillor Janet Horner, who tabled a motion to the Central Area calling on the council to recognise the importance of Dorset Street as “the entry point to the city”. She highlighted that no budget funding for the Shop Front Improvement Scheme had been allocated to the street in 2026 and said there is currently a very “haphazard approach” to shop fronts which “leaves the street looking tackier and less cohesive than it should“.
While DCC state Dorset Street businesses can still apply for a grant to upgrade their shopfronts, the businesses that were approached did not have the funds needed from their side to avail of the scheme. The grant assists with 50% of the costs for the refurbishment or renewal of shopfronts but the onus is on the businesses to provide the rest.
Cllr Horner expressed frustration that there was no official budget allocation for the street but that it appears businesses can avail of “informal” funds. She said the information is “not clear” and that means councillors struggle to know whether to suggest businesses apply for it or not and she called for a more “consistent idea” around how to improve Dorset Street.
“This idea that we won't move until the businesses or residents move, and even when they do move we might not do anything to support them. There is significant frustration, fatigue, and a sense of what is even the point of engaging at this stage,” she said.
She highlighted the Shop Front Improvement Scheme as an important gesture from the council to show they are working “for the betterment of the community” and she called for a “proactive approach” to addressing the needs of the street. “It is continuing to linger without a plan, without any cohesion energy going into the shop fronts, the physical landscape, traffic arrangements. It is deeply frustrating for everyone around the area,” she said.
“We are not taking care of Dorset Street as a council at the moment. Businesses aren’t even bothered to apply for planning permission when they are changing their buildings. There is no active engagement with the council for improving the use of buildings of the visuals of them.
“There’s a sense from residents and businesses that there is no point in engaging with the council because you don’t get anywhere.”
Cllr Horner said she understands DCC is “short on resources here” but that “we need to do something more”. Currently, Cllr Horner said the situation for overseeing issues on Dorset Street is councillors like her walking down the street and seeing what places don’t have planning permission and where things are being illegal dumped. “I don’t have the capacity to do that full time,” she said.
Independent Cllr Cieren Perry said it is disappointing to see DCC making “penny-pinching decisions” as the scheme can have a “huge impact” with relatively little funds. He said that he would be concerned about the council fully funding shopfront refurbishments, but that they consider reducing the 50% requirement.
The manager’s response was that shopfront improvement grants are available and significant investment has been put into Dorset Street - including between €10,000 and €15,000 toward the removal of graffiti in recent months. “Any businesses who want to improve their front needs to contact us. A lot of businesses unfortunately cannot put that money in and that’s the issue,” they said.
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