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That tarmac at the bottom of Grafton Street should be gone by the end of the summer

Some paving stones were put down and taken back up again rather quickly.

AREAS AT THE bottom of Grafton Street where the pavement has been covered in tarmac are set to be repaved by the end of the summer.

The works being carried out in the area are for the LUAS Cross City development and had seen new paving stones laid as part of the €4 million Grafton Street rejuvenation project lifted and replaced with tarmac.

This happened because utility mains are located in this part of the street and the work was required to accommodate this in the building of the new LUAS line.

IMG_4576 TheJournal.ie TheJournal.ie

The works

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, a spokesperson for the LUAS Cross City development explained that the paving stones and street furniture that had been lifted as part of the development would be reinstated once work had been completed.

Paving stones and street furniture are currently being stored in a depot outside of Dublin. It is expected that the footpath on Nassau Street will be repaired by the end of the summer.

Disturbance on the street will continue however as tracks will still have to be laid. This is expected to continue until mid-to-late 2017.

On new paving stones being lifted and repaved, the spokesperson said that work had been done “in a logical way” and that the area concerned was a very small part of the overall rejuvenation.  

It was also stated that co-ordination had been ongoing between Dublin City Council, the LUAS Cross City development and the utility companies.

IMG_4572 TheJournal.ie TheJournal.ie

Grafton Street project 

A project to overhaul Dublin’s Grafton Street area began in 2013 and is it’s officially being completed this weekend – with the new lighting being switched on green to mark the St Patrick’s Day festivities.

The project cost €4 million and has seen areas of Grafton Street and Wicklow Street have their old red brick surface replaced. Further work is set to take place on Johnson Court.

Read: Areas of central Dublin are going to be ripped up…

Also: US magazine says Dublin tourists shouldn’t bother with Grafton Street or Irish breakfasts

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A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

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16 Comments
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    Mute Sean Collins
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:27 AM

    It’s a sad way to turn out. I hope Joan and Enda see this picture they might get a bit of compassion but I doubt it.

    101
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    Mute Chris Mackey
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    Jul 14th 2014, 11:06 AM

    Do you really think Enda gives a dam but how about the idiot in DCC he might be able to give a license for a shelter to be opened if he has enough time to organize it, but he might require a top up on his small salary of 190K any brown envelopes out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    32
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    Mute cholly appleseed
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    Jul 14th 2014, 11:37 AM

    More drivel from christy burke. Attacking the “cops” rather thsn policy

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    Mute Ian Walsh™
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    Jul 14th 2014, 12:04 PM

    Ah sure what next open up the cells and use them as temporary accommodation?
    “I’m sorry but I cannot arrest you tonight as there is someone sleeping in the cell!” Ffs, he needs to get off his soap box. This is clearly not a Garda problem but rather the HSE, but it’s just too easy to drag An Garda Síochána through the mud again…..

    151
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    Mute Fluich It
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    Jul 14th 2014, 12:11 PM

    Gardaí can’t arrest someone just because they are homeless? This is a social issue not a policing issue.

    123
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    Mute Ian Walsh™
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    Jul 14th 2014, 12:11 PM

    Since he’s a ‘Home Alone’ Mayor, who in is own words will only occasionally ‘crash’ in the mansion house, how about he open that up and see how he gets on. He is a typical Republican who will have a pop at the Gardai at any chance they get.

    105
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    Mute sol
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    Jul 14th 2014, 6:11 PM

    You can’t expect a ten year old homeless person to go through all the hoops that are in place in order to get help. A guard would hopefully use a phone on their behalf to get help.

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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 9:57 PM

    Never heard of a true republican accepting the British title of ‘Lord.’ Christy would not know the significance of the ‘Lord’ in Lord Mayor. What next- will he want a seat in the House of Lords? Or a lunch with Her Majesty? Don’t think she does gur cake, though.

    1
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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:26 PM

    Seems all that stands between a fascist police state are the police themselves, Every do-gooder wants the police to run all State services- when it suits! The rest of the time, they want to get rid of the police!
    Not so long ago, they would have handed such things over to Jimmy Savile!

    3
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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:42 PM

    All your ‘hoops’ are the requirements of the law of the land. Not everyone can flout them so easily as you seem to suggest. The Gardai must obey the law- whatever the hob-lawyers may say. And Lord Christy would need to be careful in dealing with homeless children in a free-lance sort of way.

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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:49 PM

    Unless they are On the Run??

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    Mute Sandra Fawcett
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    Jul 14th 2014, 11:34 AM

    Classy from the “Lord Mayor”.

    92
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    Mute johngahan
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    Jul 14th 2014, 11:49 AM

    Total ignorance from Burke. There needs to more available Social Workers for such cases.

    The Gardai have enough to do than get sued for being good samaritans taking in young people who may be disturbed without proper independent oversight and care from a qualified Social Worker.

    Social Workers are highly qualified for a reason. These cases are very sensitive and must be handled properly by people with the right training.

    An alternative might be to have a team of specially trained gardai for such situations – but that is totally different to Burke demanding that standard gardai are qualified to handle these delicate matters that can turn very nasty if not dealt with in a professional manner by skilled experts.

    131
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    Mute Ed Beausang
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    Jul 14th 2014, 11:56 AM

    You’re absolutely correct and no coincidence that the girl was persuaded to go home after the social worker arrived.

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    Mute sol
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    Jul 14th 2014, 12:30 PM

    Ok. And until the HSE gets the finger out we just do nothing and let homeless kids wander the streets. Any suggestions for what we do in the meantime then. So are you going to tell a vulnerable homeless child sorry I can’t help you cos we simply couldn’t be bothered for legal reasons, sounds like a cop out to me.Though if you start causing trouble like shoplifting or prostitution we’ll stick you in jail. Great choice.

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    Mute Ed Beausang
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    Jul 14th 2014, 1:22 PM

    No that’s not what you’re going to tell a vulnerable homeless child but there are a myriad of reasons why a child is presenting as homeless in the middle of the night. Some run away and parents are waiting for them at home. The problem is that to a 15 year-old, being homelessness can be an exciting prospect initially. I’ve seen kids being accommodated at night through state services and within 3 weeks being hooked at heroin. If you can get them home, then get them home. Follow-up should come locally through family support services.

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    Mute sol
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    Jul 14th 2014, 1:35 PM

    So really that’s no answer at all. Ok imagine the scenario as at present and imagine your a guard and a homeless minor comes up to you. Are you going to tell him that due to a myriad of issues you cant help him. That’s really cold comfort to a child looking for support today. Really some guards are actually good people with kids themselves who may as a parent be able to have some compassion for a fellow human. Not everything has to be according to the HSE rules, after all isn’t it due to their incompetence that a lot of this stuff exists.they will do whatever possible to disassociate themselves from any responsibility.

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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jul 14th 2014, 3:51 PM

    For a start you have to have a reason to arrest someone, otherwise it’s unlawful. Secondly, you can’t detain someone for any longer than is necessary, so unless the arrested person is going to be interviewed or there’s warrants for them that equates to a few hours in a cell. Thirdly, Gardaí can’t hold any minor without notifying their responsible adult, when the minor doesn’t have one they must get a social worker in. If the Gardaí started arresting minors for nothing and then held them for hours without notifying the relevant adult Christy would be the first to give out.

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    Mute Catherine Mill
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:13 PM

    Social Workers are highly qualified for a reason. ?????????

    LOL . Then you are clueless re training of social workers.

    Their training is mainly policy and then a few modules on real problems.

    In fairness I did believe they were trained once too, until I had reason to learn otherwise.

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    Mute Joe Burns
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:15 PM

    @johngahan
    You need an education on the Child Abuse Industry in Ireland. I wont bother with correcting everything you said, just say that the CFA only work 9 to 5 Monday to Friday. Read up on Monageer.

    “Highly qualified”? You mean like the Roscommon House of Horrors where social workers were involved for 11 year and in the end the children saved themselves?

    NoTo42.blogspot.com

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    Mute sol
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:42 PM

    I’m not suggesting the guards arrest them. The guards are called keepers of the peace. That’s their title. Look it up. It’s not all we do is arrest people. If a child is obviously homeless and as a result vulnerable isn’t the best thing for a responsible adult ie a guard to look out for them till an agency can be contacted to help them.

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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jul 14th 2014, 5:11 PM

    Where do you want the Gardaí to keep them? What if the child then wants to leave? Are the Gardaí to detain them against their will? And who do you think the ‘responsible agency’ will send, except the social workers Burke was told about in the first place?

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    Mute sol
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    Jul 14th 2014, 5:58 PM

    Due to the fact that the HSE don’t provide the proper service in the first place unfortunately the garda reception area or an interview room. Not ideal I admit. If they want to leave and it’s not deemed there a danger to themselves then there free to go as long as there say over the age of 14. I’d hope a child who’s left their home for whatever reason would appreciate any help in getting back on their feet. It’s a bit like the bed blocking in hospitals except that the patients aren’t being admitted in the first place so no blockage. It’s obviously an issue and had been for a while and love or lothe the mayor at least he’s talking about it. Not like the previous fianna fail Gael lackeys.

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    Mute Nash Bridges
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    Jul 14th 2014, 12:50 PM

    He should call Obama and the Mexican ambassador again.

    77
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    Mute Rebecca Kent
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    Jul 14th 2014, 1:06 PM

    It’s just ignorance on his behalf. He should stick to sorting out the ‘Garreth Brooks’ situation.

    53
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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:45 PM

    Or maybe ‘Jarry’ and The Peacemakers?

    4
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    Mute Tadhg
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    Jul 14th 2014, 1:30 PM

    How the hell did this idiot get to be Lord Mayor?, I would assume he would have a general idea of the duties Gardai carry out.

    41
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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:28 PM

    Ah, now- go aisy on Lord Christy. He’s a titled squireen now.

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    Mute sol
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    Jul 14th 2014, 12:21 PM

    I think he’s right. I think homelessness should just be outlawed. As it stands it’s legal for a minor to live on the streets here. But if I let my dog crap on the pavement I’m fined 150 Euro. It shows the level of importance we place on child welfare. Maybe if the HSE diverted some of the taxpayers cash it spends fighting EU directives aimed at improving kids rights and placed it at helping them instead we wouldn’t be in this situation.

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    Mute Breda O'Brien
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:42 AM

    Open the Mother and Child homes – they did a sterling job.

    25
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    Mute Joan Murphy
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:56 AM

    Fool , there is some things you just don’t joke about .

    92
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    Mute Mark Kelly
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    Jul 14th 2014, 12:23 PM

    Didn’t know Chris de Burgh was the Mayor.

    15
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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jul 14th 2014, 5:17 PM

    They need to hand the child over to a social worker, so it very much necessary to get hold of one at 3 in the morning.

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    Mute Joe Burns
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:08 PM

    You are absolutely correct Mayor, it seems the Gardai don’t understand Section 12 of the Childcare Act.

    Too many people have been brainwashed during the corrupt Children’s Referendum. The lies and spin of the Yes side laid bare when they say that “a parent can literally have their hands around a child’s neck and throttle the child to an inch of it’s life before the State can intervene”.

    PART III

    Protection of Children in Emergencies

    Power of Garda Síochána to take a child to safety.

    12.—(1) Where a member of the Garda Síochána has reasonable grounds for believing that—

    (a) there is an immediate and serious risk to the health or welfare of a child, and

    (b) it would not be sufficient for the protection of the child from such immediate and serious risk to await the making of an application for an emergency care order by a health board under section 13 ,

    the member, accompanied by such other persons as may be necessary, may, without warrant, enter (if need be by force) any house or other place (including any building or part of a building, tent, caravan or other temporary or moveable structure, vehicle, vessel, aircraft or hovercraft) and remove the child to safety.

    (2) The provisions of subsection (1) are without prejudice to any other powers exercisable by a member of the Garda Síochána.

    (3) Where a child is removed by a member of the Garda Síochána in accordance with subsection (1), the child shall as soon as possible be delivered up to the custody of the health board for the area in which the child is for the time being.

    (4) Where a child is delivered up to the custody of a health board in accordance with subsection (3), the health board shall, unless it returns the child to the parent having custody of him or a person acting in loco parentis, make application for an emergency care order at the next sitting of the District Court held in the same district court district or, in the event that the next such sitting is not due to be held within three days of the date on which the child is delivered up to the custody of the health board, at a sitting of the District Court, which has been specially arranged under section 13 (4), held within the said three days, and it shall be lawful for the health board to retain custody of the child pending the hearing of that application.

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    Mute Catherine Mill
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:15 PM

    Thank you Joe.

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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:15 PM

    It seems you don’t understand it; subsection 3 states that the child must be handed over as soon as possible to the health board, so gardaí do require the involvement of a social worker.

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    Mute Joe Burns
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:30 PM

    @Sandbag Oh Please! I don’t understand it? 800 such S12′s are performed every year in Ireland. Gardai take the child and later hand over to the CFA. The Gardai decide, what part of that don’t you understand?

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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jul 14th 2014, 5:14 PM

    Please tell us all about your experiences of invoking Section 12 of the Childcare Act. You must obviously have first-hand experience of doing so if you’re lecturing us on it.

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    Mute sol
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    Jul 14th 2014, 7:09 PM

    What are you suggesting? That several social workers be posted at every garda station in the country until if and when a homeless child appears. Or is it that the child presents themselves as lost or homeless to a garda station and the guard doesn’t engage with them and leaves them outside on their own till a social worker can be contacted. I’d hope you’d say that both scenarios could be avoided by the guard simply bringing them in and then taking their details and then contacting the social workers. If the HSE don’t have any staff available they should be held accountable for neglecting their clients ie the children.

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    Mute mmz
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    Jul 14th 2014, 9:06 PM

    The government insists that they only work and be paid between 0900 and 1700 hrs. Do you want to hold government ministers accountable for neglecting homeless children by not employing social workers 24 /7 if they are needed for those hours?? Maybe we could do a citizen’s arrest on enda. I will bring the (too tight) handcuffs. You can bring the cosh if he gets rowdy.

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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:13 PM

    Maybe a disgruntled social worker? The 9a.m to 6 p.m sort? who thinks everyone else is there to do his job for him?

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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:38 PM

    Soon as possible- not ‘ later.’ And it is the Garda who MUST comply with the law- not every Tom, Dick and Joe Burns who have no business in the matter..

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    Mute Joseph Dempsey
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:50 PM

    The only Bullshit surrounding this story his Mr Mayor claiming that the saga around Garth Brooks led to focus not being given to the homelessness crisis. Was it not Mr Mayor that led the media storm around the silliness that has been the Brooks Debacle, sure his buddy the Mexican ambassador (FFS) was going to sort out everything. Mr Mayor, perhaps you might now focus on your Jobs, that is Dublin, all of Dublin and not whether a concert goes ahead or not. For far too long this crisis and many more have been ignored and sadly and independent Lord Mayor, chosen because of a cosy political cartel will be about as useful as a three legged hamster trying to do cartwheels.

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    Mute James Franco
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    Jul 14th 2014, 2:08 PM

    Brain dead Breda

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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:11 PM

    I think the Gardai would be better off prosecuting the dead-beat parents for child-neglect. A lot of ‘experts’ here never actually went through the process of a Section 12 detention- not as easy as the book says!

    And, what about enforcing Section 12 for a child who has already walked out of HSE care?

    For the Gardai, the HSE and child welfare is a veritable minefield- the HSE is seriously dysfunctional and not fit for purpose as far as childcare is concerned.

    Does any ‘expert’ here who wants the Gardai to start turning childcare into a police-state venture not realise that the police should not be central to detentions or committals the Childcare Act or the Mental Health Act?

    Christ Burke obviously believes that a police-state is desirable when dealing with our vulnerable children- what a turn-up for the books!!

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    Mute Chic Whynot
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    Jul 14th 2014, 4:14 PM

    section 12 of the childcare act 1991 states that:
    (1) Where a member of the Garda Síochána has reasonable grounds for believing that—

    (a) there is an immediate and serious risk to the health or welfare of a child, and

    (b) it would not be sufficient for the protection of the child from such immediate and serious risk to await the making of an application for an emergency care order by a health board under section 13 ,

    the member, accompanied by such other persons as may be necessary, may, without warrant, enter (if need be by force) any house or other place (including any building or part of a building, tent, caravan or other temporary or moveable structure, vehicle, vessel, aircraft or hovercraft) and remove the child to safety.

    ‘other persons as my be necessary’ It is not necessary for a guard to obtain a social worker at 3 in the morning to take a person under 18 to a place of safety as they are fully within their rights and responsibilitys to do so.
    are guards aware of this? i do not believe so. do many guards fully understand the childcare act? they do not appear to. do we live in a f##ed up country? we sure do.

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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jul 14th 2014, 5:19 PM

    The child must be handed over to a social worker, so it is necessary to get one in at 3 in the morning.

    11
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    Mute peepingass
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    Jul 14th 2014, 10:20 PM

    Chic hasn’t a clue about what ‘immediate and serious risk’ means- as defined by the courts, obviously. Neither has His Lordship, The Lord Mayor! If there is no immediate and serious risk then that’s the end of the Garda’s legal authority and obligation. Like it or lump it! Chic is a know-all without any responsibility to the law which s/he spouts so loosely. And it’s the Garda that must have reasonable grounds for believing there is immediate and serious risk- not the interfering busybodies who are usually farting beneath the blankets at 3 a.m. when the real work is being done.

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    Mute William O'Rourke
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    Jul 14th 2014, 8:04 PM
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