Green Party Councillor outlines six key priorities for Dublin in 2026
At the dawning of a new year, local representatives are looking toward what Dublin City Council should achieve and prioritise in 2026.
This is certainly the case for Green Party Councillor Janet Horner who outlined on social media the six things she wishes to see change for Dublin this year. With many long-standing issues in need of attention, Cllr Horner honed on some of the areas she’s most actively been involved in.
The installation of waste compactors in places like Stephen’s Green and Temple Bar have been widely praised as the council’s aim to “get bin bags off the streets” This initiative comes as part of the ‘No More Rubbish Excuses’ campaign to clean up the city.
“The Northside has to be next,” Cllr Horner explained, stating a location just off Marlborough Street is just one example of the areas she’s going to be pushing for more waste compactors in 2026.
Redevelopment plans for Mountjoy Square and Russell Street will also go a long way toward revitalising Dublin this year, but Cllr Horner stressed that there are so many more areas around the city in need of some extra attention. “There are a lot of areas we want to see enhanced greening and better play opportunities for young people and everybody,” she said.
A lack of cultural spaces is also an important issue that should remain on the council’s agenda throughout the year. Cllr Horner cited the campaign to save The Complex as a particularly worthy mission. “We need to invest in spaces for culture and community to grow in the city,” she said.
On-street parking is an issue that frustrated councillors last year, with Cllr Horner vowing to work with Dublin City Council to make sure accessibility issues are prioritised. She said there needs to be more emphasis on addressing the scourge of illegal footpath parking and making paths more accessible “particularly for those who have wheelchairs or those with buggies.”
Extra funding for zebra crossings in Dublin city was also welcomed by Cllr Horner. She said that she now wants to see the rolled out across the North Inner City to “ensure it’s much more comfortable and easy to walk around these areas.”
One of the most long-standing issues facing Dublin has been vacancy and dereliction. Cllr Horner said this is a problem that has “never been properly tackled” and said “let’s make 2026 the year that we do.”
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