Council looks at whether to ban political protests in parks

Dublin City Council is looking at whether it should bring in a policy forbidding the use of public parks for protests.

The council is getting more and more requests from groups looking to hold demonstrations in its parks, said Leslie Moore, the head of parks on Monday. “We haven’t permitted political or protest events in parks.”

But in anticipation of any future requests, they felt it necessary to draw up a formal policy for refusal, he told the Arts, Culture, Leisure and Recreation Strategic Policy Committee.

“We’re proposing that public parks in the city centre are managed as places of refuge, rest and relaxation,” said Moore.

Events organised to protest against or in favour of national events, or geopolitical events, would not be permitted under the new policy, Moore said.

But that didn’t sit well with councillors or non-elected members of the committee, they said.

The city’s parks are home to many significant monuments, said Cat O’Driscoll, a Social Democrats councillor and the committee’s chair. “They’re a great place to gather.”

She pointed to Fairview Park where Declan Flynn was killed in a homophobic attack in 1982.

“When there are hate attacks against the trans community, there [are] very respectful solidarity protests happening in places like Fairview Park,” she said.

The policy is too broad, she said. “I think we can put in policies around making sure events are safe and that they don’t have an adverse impact on the parks.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha said the implications of the policy are fairly wide. “Even in terms of what is defined as political, what is defined as a protest.”

Park protests aren’t that common either, he said. Occasionally, there may be a wreath-laying ceremony or a vigil, said Mac Donncha.

Schools have used parks as part of LGBTQI+ pride parades, said Labour Councillor Fiona Connelly.

What would happen with the Pride festival in Merrion Square? asked Green Party Councillor Claire Byrne.

Hard cases make bad laws, said Fine Gael Councillor James Geoghegan. If there are specific organisations that are cause for concern, that should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, he said.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Deirdre Heney asked what exactly is happening that prompted the council to put forward the proposal.

Moore didn’t want to give specific details, he said. “It does reflect the policy going back many years that parks are a place that we maintain for multipurpose use.”

But he doesn’t want them to be taken advantage of, he said.

The Extinction Rebellion protests are one example he cited, after members of the environmental organisation occupied the Merrion Square park without the council’s permission in 2019.

Moore said he anticipates that more requests will be coming down the line for marches to end up in parks. “But look, I can understand, there’s lots of questions that we need to come back on.”

The Parks Department will take the policy away and consider it further, before bringing it back to the committee to discuss again, he said.

Arts on Merchant’s Quay

Dublin City Council expects to start work refurbishing 8 and 9 Merchant’s Quay to turn them into artists’ studios towards the end of this year, says a recent council report.

The two council-owned buildings should be done and open in 2025, according to a report from City Arts Officer Ray Yeates put before the arts committee on Monday.

The plan is for 20 artists’ studios with extra flexible desk spaces, the report says. The former St Anthony’s Theatre in number 8 is to be restored as a theatre and community resource.

Dublin City Council has already spent €2.1 million to restore the building at 9 Merchant’s Quay, said a spokesperson in 2021.

According to Yeates’ report, a private donor last year approached the council and Axis Ballymun – the north Dublin arts centre – to see if they would partner in the capital funding required to restore the buildings.

The agreement is for the anonymous donor to give €3 million to Axis, and the council – through its capital programme supported by the Department of Tourism and Culture – to pony up the balance of the estimated €6 million under the Space to Create scheme.

The council expects to appoint a design team shortly, the report says. That team will also handle the refurbishment of the former Eden restaurant in Temple Bar’s Meeting House Square and temporary studios on Bridgefoot Street, the report said.