Cllrs issue statement – Council does not have budget for DublinTown services

Joint Statement from Cllrs Nial Ring and Dermot Lacey.

In a joint statement, Dublin City Council (DCC) nominees to the Board of Directors of BIDS/DublinTown, Cllr Nial Ring and Cllr Dermot Lacey confirmed that DCC does not have and will not be in a position to provide a budget available to undertake the services currently provided by DublinTown within the BID District if the businesses in the BIDS/Dublin Town area decide to cease funding the organisation following the current vote/plebiscite.

“In in the event of the discontinuance of DublinTown there will be no Christmas Lights in the city this Christmas, no graffiti removal from business premises, no rapid response cleaning services and no ambassador and tourist information service unless it is organised by businesses on a street by street basis” said Cllrs. Ring and Lacey today.

In making this statement both Councillors, who are both members of the Dublin City Council Finance SPC, made reference to a written reply received by Cllr. Ring to a question he put to Dublin City Council CEO in which Mr. Keegan confirmed that Dublin City Council does not have the budget to undertake these activities. (See copy of question and answer below)

Cllr Ring noted that as an accountant he was appalled to see the No To BID Campaign suggest that 40% of the city’s rates were raised in the BID area and that this represented €65m in rates.  He noted that 40% of the city’s rates would equate to €130m – twice the figure quoted by the No To BID Campaign and he also confirmed that this is not the level of rates received from the Dublin Town district.   As a public representative he said that he was dismayed that such false and misleading information was being put into the public domain.   He further noted that he attended the DublinTown board meeting where it was agreed that increases in the BID contribution would be limited to a 2% inflation factor and only then with agreement of the membership.  He described the grossly exaggerated figure of a 30% increase as an ‘alternative fact’ that would make even Donald Trump blush.  He criticised those behind such exaggeration and misstatement.

Please see council question and response below: 

Question to the Chief Executive                             Council Meeting 12th June 2017

Q.136   COUNCILLOR NIAL RING

To ask the Chief Executive to confirm whether, or not, Dublin City Council has budgets in place for the following services currently being provided by Dublin Town. a. Christmas lights in 30 city centre streets b. Graffiti removal from private properties c. Cleaning/powerwashing services for city centre businesses d. Running of ambassador and tourist information services. Promotional events for city centre businesses such as Dine in Dublin, Dublin Fashion Festival etc.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPLY:

Dublin City Council (DCC) does not have a budget in place for the provision of Christmas lights in 30 city centre streets
DCC provides a budget annually for graffiti removal from DCC buildings only.  There is no provision for graffiti removal from private properties. DCC provides a scheduled rostered cleaning service for all city streets however it does not have a budget for a rapid response cleaning service as provided by the BID Company for its members. DCC does not have a budget in place to provide ambassador and tourist information services. DCC Events Section has provided for a contribution in the 2017 budget towards the running of Dine in Dublin and Dublin Fashion Festival.