Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 16, inclusive, together.

On 7 May 2024, the Government agreed to appoint a task force to take a holistic view of the measures required to rejuvenate Dublin city centre, north and south. The goal is to make Dublin city centre a more thriving, attractive and safe cityscape, and a desirable location to live, work, do business and visit.

The task force is taking an evidence-informed approach in its work and will provide recommendations to improve the city centre's public realm, safety and experience. It will harness efforts and initiatives under way, including within the Dublin city co-ordination office, as well as existing initiatives such as Dublin's north-east inner-city initiative and the Dublin north inner city local community safety partnership. The task force will not duplicate efforts already under way, which is important, but will instead consider what additional co-ordinated activities could galvanise actions to return Dublin's city centre to the vibrant destination we know it to be and deliver on a shared vision of central Dublin's public space.

The task force is led by an independent chair, Mr. David McRedmond, chief executive officer of An Post, who brings his wealth of insights and experience to the role. Membership of the task force includes representatives from the public service, including An Garda Síochána, the local authority and the National Transport Authority, representatives of city centre businesses, a trade union representative, and representatives from the community and service provider sector and the cultural and arts sector. The task force is being supported in its work by Dublin City Council, for which I acknowledge its chief executive, An Garda Síochána, the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Justice. The Department of the Taoiseach will bring together a senior officials group as required by the task force to inform the work.

The first meeting of the task force took place on Tuesday, 21 May 2024. It has been requested to deliver its recommendations for consideration by the Government within 12 weeks.

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