Lighthouse Cinema brings some long-awaited culture to Smithfield.

As the Chairperson of the Historic Area Rejuvenation Programme (HARP) Integrated Area Plan which was established to rejuvenate the Smithfield and Markets Area of Dublin City, I welcome the forthcoming opening of the new Lighthouse Cinema at Smithfield on 9th May 2008.

While the HARP has many achievements, it has long been a source of concern to us that many of the promised cultural activities for Smithfield did not materialise.

There was huge disappointment when the Science Museum for the Square did not materialise and the proposed site is now occupied by the Motor Tax Office.

The Lighthouse Cinema had earned a reputation for being an arthouse cinema while it was on Abbey Street. It was demolished in 1996 to make way for developments at Arnotts. The new Lighthouse at Smithfield will bring a variety of independent, foreign language and classic films.

I understand that the promoters will be organising film workshops and have indicated that they will work with the local community. This will provide a marvellous opportunity for the young people from the area to become involved in film and cinema. The Bradog Youth Service in the area has done much work with young people in the area of film and multimedia.

I hope that the arrival of the Lighthouse Cinema to the area will broaden the vision and enhance the skills of young people from the area.

It will also provide hours of culture and entertainment for local residents and indeed all Dubliners as it will bring visitors from all quarters of the City to Smithfield.

The Cinema will host four screens, 600 seats and will have a café and bar. Further information can be obtained from their website: www.lighthousecinema.ie

I look forward to the opening of this cinema and as a local resident hope to become regular patrons.

City Council Report calls for Action on Promoting Women in Decision Making Roles

Cllr Emer Costello, Chairperson of Dublin City Council’s International Women’s Day Working Group has called on the Government to take positive action to ensure women’s equal participation in the decision making processes at all levels of political life.

Speaking at the launch of the Group's research report “Every Step of the Way – Women Accessing Power in Dublin City” which was held in the Civic Offices on the eve of International Women’s Day, Cllr Costello called for positive action to ensure that more women would be in a position to stand for election in winnable electoral wards. Cllr Costello noted that of 188 countries Ireland ranks joint 87th with Barbados and Jamaica in terms of women’s representation in democratic structures.

The Dublin City Council report highlights that just 20% of the members of local authorities throughout the country are women. While Dublin City Council fares slightly better at 29% this figure is still woefully short of equal participation of 50%. Moreover, Cllr Costello stated that it was both astonishing and lamentable that the City Council’s Corporate Policy Group (CPG) is currently entirely comprised of men.

Cllr Costello noted that 15 Councillors (6 women and 9 men) resigned from the Council since the Local Elections in 2004. However, the six women accounted for a whopping 40% of the women elected to the Council, while the 9 men accounted for just 24% of the men elected.
The International Women’s Day Working Group was established by Dublin City Council to “promote women’s participation in the political, economic and social life of Dublin City”. The Working Group commissioned research into the role of women in the decision-making structures in the City – at political, management and community level.
The findings of the report make interesting reading.
§ Women comprise 29% of the Councillors on Dublin City Council
§ Women are not currently represented on the important Corporate Policy Group
§ Women account for just 31% of the membership of Strategic Policy Committees
§ Women make up just 29% of the professional grades in Dublin City Council
§ While 54% of the administrative grades are women, just 30% of the Executive Managers are women (and there is just 1 Assistant City Manager out of 8).
§ Women account for just 12% of General Operative Staff and just 3% of the Fire Brigade.

Cllr Costello has called on Dublin City Council to establish the IWD Working Group on a permanent footing to oversee and monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the report, which include conducting a gender audit of employment within the City Council, funding women’s groups and promoting participation of women in local decision-making structures, encouraging women councillors to become political role models in their local areas and developing an educational programme for schools.

The IWD Working Group needs to be established on a permanent basis to oversee the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report and to ensure that International Women’s Day is permanently etched into the political, social, economic and cultural calendar of the City, concluded Cllr Costello

If you would like a hard copy of the report, please contact me and I will send it out to you.

Cole's Lane Traders Defend Their Right to Trade on Established pitches

Over the past few months Joe and I have been involved is helping the street traders defend their right to trade from their pitches on Cole's Lane.
The street traders on Cole’s Lane fought hard to get their pitch on this site over twenty years ago. Indeed Joe went to prison when he participated in street protests to defend the rights of the traders during the 1980s. Following the protests the traders were allocated their pitches on Cole’s Lane.
Dublin City Council recently granted planning permission to Dunnes Stores to extend the opening of their door which leads on to Cole’s Lane. They did this without any consultation with the traders outside, who have pitches assigned and licensed by Dublin City Council on Cole’s Lane. This shows a complete lack of joined up thinking within Dublin City Council as indeed the Planning Section did not consult with the Casual Trading Section within Dubln City Council despite the fact that Cole's Lane is a designated Casual Trading Area.
The traders pay the Council for their pitch and casual trading license. Dublin City Council have informed the traders that they will have to move from their current pitches. They plan to have the same number of stalls in a much smaller and more confined space to make way for the new entrance at Dunnes Stores. The traders are struggling in all weathers to eke a living from their stalls. Dublin City Council and Dunnes Stores should have consulted with the traders prior to granting planning permission and building the new entrance on to Cole’s Lane.
The situation came to a head this week on Cole's Lane as Dunnes Stores planned to open on Thursday 12th July. On Monday 10th July, Dublin City Council painted new pitch markings after the traders had finished trading for theday. On Tuesday evening the traders protested outside Dunnes Stores during a pre-opening reception attended by Margaret Heffernan. I joined the traders on their protest for the evening. They are very upset that their livlihoods are being threatened in this way through no fault of their own.
I organised a meeting between the City Council and the traders on Wednesday afternoon and a number of possible solutions were suggested including finding suitable alternative pitches for some of the traders and regenerating the street market.
Today, Thursday 12th Dunnes Stores opened and the traders took up their original designated pitches. They are refusing to move until and unless Dublin City Council provide alternative suitable pitches. The position of the stalls looked satisfactory to me but the Fire Chief has yet to give his ruling on that.
In the meantime I have arranged for the traders to come to the next meeting of the Area Comnmittee to discuss the conditions they are working in. Cole's Lane has the potential to be a bright cheerful market where street traders and large department stores could work side by side to each others mutual advantage. All European cities have modern street markets. Cole's Lane is badly in need of a revamp which would put it on a par with any of the quality markets in Europe.
Dublin City Council have also said that they have learned many lessons from this experience and promise that they will take this on board when the redevelopment of Moore Street takes place.