Dublin restaurants say persistent beggars are a 'major threat' to diners' comfort

AN INCREASED GARDA presence to deal with “aggressive and organised begging” is one of several recommendations to help improve trading for Dublin’s food-service businesses.

A report prepared for Dublin City Council, which was presented to councillors on Monday, found begging to be a “significant” issue highlighted by the café and restaurant sector.

It added that the persistence of beggars on Dublin streets posed a “major threat” to the comfort and security of customers using outdoor seating.

The report suggested “increased garda presence acts as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour, petty crime and aggressive and organised begging”.

Fianna Fáil councillor Paul McAuliffe, who oversaw the report, said begging was a common issue raised by those from the café and restaurant sector.

Organisations that participated in the consultation included representatives from the Restaurants Association Ireland, the Temple Bar Company, Dublin Town and Fáilte Ireland.

The recommendations were also based on feedback from Dublin cafés and restaurants such as The Bakehouse, Queen of Tarts, Fumbally Café, Woodstock Café, Boxty House and Lovely Food Company.

Recommendations

The report on the café and restaurants sector was produced to help identify issues holding back the sector from playing an increased role in the economic life of the city.

Dublin Town chief executive Richard Guiney said cafés and restaurants are an “important pillar” of encouraging people to shop in the city centre.

He added that cafés staying open longer into the evening would also foster more evening shopping and help Dublin shops to combat the threat of online retailers.

Some other recommendations from the report included:

• Removing the requirement for tables and chairs to be cleared via the usual planning approval process
• Examining the feasibility of reducing licence fees for table and chairs outside premises
• Exempting benches from outdoor furniture licence and planning application
• Increasing coordination with cafés for forthcoming events

McAuliffe said the strict planning requirements for tables and chairs outside cafés, set by national legislation, was commonly noted as a big issue by businesses in the sector.

“If you want to put out four chairs and a table you have to go through a process that is equivalent to planning permission, but you can build a 400 sq ft extension on the back of your house and be exempt from planning.

“The national legislation doesn’t allow us to have that flexibility to have chairs and tables outside on streets in Dublin. The fact that tables and chairs on a city street are regulated by national legislation is preposterous.

“The report recommends there should be a change in national legislation. I know we have a centralised governance system in Ireland, but really, should national legislation be regulating tables and chairs in a city, it’s crazy.”

The report will be considered again at a Dublin City Council meeting in April and, if approved, the recommendations for the café and restaurant sector will be included in the 2017 Action Plan of the Dublin City Local Economic and Community Plan.