Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Dublin is one of the only capital cities in Europe or the world that operates without a municipal market, yet on both sides of the Liffey, north and south, there are large infrastructural buildings lying idle. For many decades, markets were where generations of working-class people throughout the city made their money.

Yet, in the hands of Dublin City Council, certainly on the north side of Dublin - it is more complicated on the south side - these buildings are lying idle. It would benefit the State as a whole if we could rejuvenate these markets and it would be to the economic benefit of the city. For the best part of half a decade I have implored Dublin City Council to get these open. If it does not, I encourage the Taoiseach to intervene on behalf of the State to take the buildings into State ownership, potentially with the OPW, to reinvigorate them for the benefit of the capital city.

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