New push to tackle 'throwaway culture' by bringing repair cafes to Dublin
In an era where so much feels disposable, repair cafes point the way forward - reducing waste, strengthening community ties, and rediscovering the value of coming together.
This is an ambition of Cabra-Glasnevin Councillor Gayle Ralph, who has spearheaded repair cafes in her local area and is now calling on Dublin City Council to run a pilot programme to fund these community-led initiatives across the city. With endless potential in council-owned buildings like libraries, community centres, and civic offices, Cllr Ralph hopes to help bring “back a culture of fixing rather than throwing things away.”
Repair cafes act as community hubs where people can meet and repair things together. This includes mending clothes, refurbishing homeware, fixing old bicycles and much more. With participants pooling their collective knowledge, it’s amazing how many things that would have been destined for the bin can find a new lease of life at a repair cafe.
“They save people money, reduce waste, and strengthen communities. At a time when the cost of living is hitting families hard, repair cafes can provide practical support by helping people extend the life of everyday items from clothes and lamps to small furniture and household electronics,” Cllr Ralph explained.
Cllr Ralph saw the impact of repair cafes firsthand when she ran her own last year with Elizabeth McCann at the Rosmini Clubhouse across from Fagan’s in Drumcondra. “My dad, Harry, and a local man, Conn, spent the day repairing lamps, tables, and other household items, while a clothes repair area helped people mend and alter garments that might otherwise have been thrown out,” she said.
“Alongside the repairs, there was tea and cakes made by local expert Mary, and plenty of conversation showing that these events are just as much about connection as they are about fixing things.”
With donations going toward the development of a local community garden at the entrance to the old Lemon’s Square factory in Drumcondra, these kinds of events not only benefit individuals with repaired items but “can support wider community projects and bring people together around shared, positive local initiatives.”
“People of all ages took part and learned some basic repair skills in a welcoming environment. I'm hugely inspired by the work of the Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun. I would love to see similar community repair spaces and mini rediscovery centres developed right across the country,” she said.
Considering all these benefits, Cllr Ralph is hoping to get the support of the council behind developing repair cafes across the city. With an ethos behind them that aligns well with the Dublin City Council Climate Action Plan and the Circular Economy Strategy, she believes they should be integrated into the council’s waste prevention and reuse initiatives.
“Repair cafes tackle climate change at a local level. Every item repaired is one less item going to landfill and one less replacement that needs to be manufactured. Ireland has strong traditions of fixing and reusing, and repair cafes are a modern extension of that tradition rooted in community, common sense, and sustainability,” Cllr Ralph said.
Cllr Ralph has a motion set to go before the council in the new year that is calling on the Chief Executive to consider funding repair cafes and engaging with local environmental groups, Men’s Sheds and community repair networks as a pilot programme. “My motion is about supporting repair cafes so they can thrive across our communities, with backing from local authorities,” she said.
“With council support, these initiatives can grow into lasting local resources that help families save money, reduce waste, and strengthen neighbourhoods. Repair cafes show how small, local actions can make a real difference for people’s pockets, the environment, and community connection.”
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