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THE TRADE UNION SIPTU has said that it intends to demolish the 17-storey Liberty Hall in Dublin and rebuild a 22-storey building after Dublin City Council granted it planning permission.
The council has set down 19 conditions including further alignment of the north side of the building particularly on upper levels, RTÉ reports.
The decision has been welcomed by SIPTU with the new tower to be 35 per cent higher than the current historic structure. The council received a number of objections to the proposal mostly citing its height.
An Bord Pleanála will now consider the proposal and objections can be lodged with it within the next month. The union has not revealed how much it will cost.
The new building will include 17 storeys for office and meeting room space and five floors for “public and cultural purposes” which will include a double-height public entrance area, a theatre, conference centre, a heritage centre, and a sky deck which will provide panoramic views of the city.
The union claims that the construction phase of the new Liberty Hall will generate as many as 200 jobs and that the new public facilities will make the new tower “a premier attraction”.
“The proposed re-development process, if approved, will be largely self-financing and won’t involve any cost impositions on the union’s members,” a statement said.
Liberty Hall was completed in 1965 and the site is historically linked to the 1916 Rising where it acted as a munitions factory prior to the rebellion. Leaders assembled there prior to their march on the General Post Office on Easter Monday.
It is currently the third-highest building in Dublin after Montevetro and the Millennium Tower in Grand Canal Dock.
“The building has remained largely unchanged since 1965 and the dysfunctional nature of the space and how it is configured has meant that re-development is the only way forward.
“SIPTU also wants to substantially improve the environmental performance of Liberty Hall in order to reduce running costs and cut the union’s carbon footprint,” the statement added.
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Glad to see the unions have their priorities right and spending their funds wisely.
It’ll create a lot of construction jobs. Baffled how this got through planning with 22 storeys on the quay, and National Children’s hospital was turned down with 16 storeys…
It’s down to who you know Michael…
The National Children’s Hospital was rejected by An Born Pleanála, but the LIberty Hall project hasn’t got to that stage yet. It was Dublin City Council who granted permission. The plan might be rejected yet!
I won’t be sorry to see Liberty Hall coming down though, it’s lost all its original charm since the transparent windows were replaced and the mosaic was covered over.
The country is broke, the people are broke and there is massive unemployment. And yet Siptu can afford to build this folly. What’s goin on. I would have thought there was enough empty office space in Dublin.
And on a side note, how the hell can this get planing permision and a childrens hospital not??????
Lot of construction workers will be delighted. We own the banks. Now a union has become a property developer. Funny old world. ..
@Michael I think you’ll find we don’t own the banks, only their debts.
I think you’ll find we do. AIB, EBS, IBRC (incorporating Anglo Irish Bank & the Irish Nationwide BS) are all in majority state ownership:
“The High Court subsequently approved the deal on Dec 24 2010, allowing the Irish government to take a 49.9% stake in the bank, rising to 92.8% following disposal of the Polish subsidiary to Banco Santander.
AIB became the fourth of Ireland’s “Big Six” financial institutions to be nationalized, following Anglo Irish Bank, Irish Nationwide, and EBS Building Society. AIB was delisted from the main market of the Irish Stock Exchange on 25 January 2011 and the NYSE on 26 August 2011″ Wikipedia…
I think describing it as folly is a bit facile. It’s a horrific looking building that should have been levelled years ago.
Personally i think folly is quite apt, this is going to be nothing more than a monument to SIPTUs own self-importance. Just my opinion though…
Just hilarious. If a bank owned this building and want to flatten it to build this yoke SIPTU would be mounting pickets.
If it was a state owned bank then yes maybe… difference is that SIPTU aren’t a state owned bank.
Hopefully the new building won’t be as ugly as the one that’s there now.
Best photo I could find. http://dt106ers.com/blog/2009/10/siptu-unveils-liberty-hall-plan/ Oh and AFAIK it will be the tallest building in Ireland as well.
Think that was the older design, think this is it.
Night
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/images/2011/1224/1224309471295_1.jpg?ts=1324724788
Daytime
Nothing wrong with that design, RDX862. I don’t understand this aversion of tall buildings in this country. Tall buildings are fine when designed well.
@RDX862 I can’t call that an improvement. A bigger eyesore than the one that’s already there.
“As a result of relying on partly-assisted natural ventilation as well as low-watt lighting, solar panels and a building energy management system, Siptu would be able to reduce its annual energy bill from €450,000 to just €220,000 a year”
That’s a hell of a saving over the years…
Couldn’t agree more Declan. We are a European capital and with good quality architecture, tall buildings would add to the city’s character. Keep them in one area if needs be e.g the docklands.
Correct, Dave C. The docklands is a missed opportunity. Most buildings are the same height & boring. The (damn) Celtic Tiger years were the years to “Manhattanise” the docklands. But – no. This aversion to tall buildings & listening to every nob who objected on top of an out of date civil service has left us with a very dull, boring & yet more boring landscape. I was in Melbourne, Australia, & their tall buildings are wonderful to look at, are workable & add to a city’s environment. But not in this country. No wonder we are f*cked as a nation. Very little forward thinking.
Well I propose that they demolish it by controlled explosion with one exception. That all the clowns are left inside when they do it.
O’Connors vanity project. This is members money & and should be put to better use for its unemployed faithfull through support funds for those ex contributors most in need. This is shameful…
What better use than providing hundreds of much needed construction jobs. Should siptu just give money away?
A Union is supposed to be for the best interest of its members – not a “for-profit” organisation – any excess it gets should be used for the benefit of all the workers who (have in the past or currently) contribute so that there is a surplus in the first place, especially those who are no longer in employment – and yes it’ll create some construction jobs – but really – is this the best use of that surplus???? Are there not plenty of empty NAMA offices – couldn’t they buy one of those instead and put the finance into the economy in that way?
The silence of the Unions in the face of austerity is deafening – it’s very disheartening that this is the type of thing that they appear to be focusing on and then announcing – whether they have a new building or not WILL NOT HELP any of their membership (past or present) one iota -(and it sounds just like another vanity project to me).
This just shows how messed up Ireland is. How can an institute that states on it’s own website as representing “workers from virtually every category of employment across almost every sector of the Irish economy” can be so out of touch with those they represent? If the building they have is so bad, why not move to one of the many empty buildings this country has.
For me, this just reaffirms my personal thoughts and opinion that unions are a waste of money.
It is shameful. As above, plenty of office space. A new building cannot be a priority in these times. Shows complete lack of solidairty with ordinary people and a complete lack of imagination in relation to making use of what we already have
How many Jobs have they created ?
Delighted to see the ordinary Joe’s (including me) who are stretched seeing there € going into construction!
Why not buy any of the existing buildings that are FECKIN EMPTY ?
Would be funny to see how much the REAL final cost will be.
Top dollar no doubt.
Why are people moaning?..the current liberty hall is an eye sore..this will create jobs…improve the look of the quays..will be a tourist attraction..will provide an amazing view of Dublin..its only a positive thing..why are we such a negative nation,we always look for the negatives
In the meantime can they not open up the top floor to the public for viewing the city?
It’s a fantastic tourism resource. I’ve never received a good explanation as to why they don’t do this.
The crinkle cut roof-top terrace. LOL
What!, and let the proletariat march around the place with their threadbare clothes and filthy boots! Good God man have you last your senses?!
So sick of the NIMBY attitude to everything is this country. We live in a capital city. All Capital cities bar Dublin have high rise iconic buildings. This is why the national children’s hospital was refused. Let’s build some nice high rise buildings in the right locations, like every other modern city.
Actually most of us don’t live in a capital city
Lets be honest and just say the Dubs want to build it just to beat the Elysian in Cork city, it galls them to think the real capital has the tallest building ;-)
You mean the Elysian that has basically been empty since it was built?
Keep sending your taxes up to us, we are having jelly and ice cream. Good lads!
Damien Dobs
That really is a silly comment !
There is no need for a new building to be built .
There are plenty of empty ones around ,I am
sure they could rent.
But more to the point , Is this what they are
spending our hard earned and paid up subscriptions
are going towards…
Or is this ”folly” as some one else described it as
the payment in return for the Silence of the unions
in return for not speaking out in support of laid off workers ,
reduction in redundancy payments , massive unemployment,
massive emmigration, huge numbers of public service retirements,
Hospital A+E closures, Hospital bed closures,increased taxes and charges
Our unions are dead and yet they want to build this mausoleum in their memory
So I take it from the red thumbs that there are 7 people think that the unions have done a great job supporting
the workers and unemployed /redundant people, particularly those who lost their jobs because of allegedly fraudulent activity in certain banking circles …… Ah well I can not say I can see the good myself . The unions have betrayed us and the memory of Jim Larkin . There are some out there who just can not see the bigger picture.
Isn’t there an unfinished office complex just down the road half built?
Yes, that would be the monument the clowns at Anglo-Irish Bank were going to build to their own self-importance.
Paraic…
You are joking I take it.
I am not a union person and don’t really give a hoot but all members of this union are paying for this needless waste of resources.
There are countless of vacant commercial properties all over Dublin and SIPTU sees the need to rebuild their mansion?!
If I was a member I would be up in arms.
BIGOTS !
SIPTU: SAD INDIVIDUALS PLANNING THE ULTRAISM
Ya Michael I am being sarcastic. This is a senseless and needless action by SIPTU.
It’ll be years before they come anywhere close to being in a position to building it. Can’t wait for them to knock it though, it’s such a dirty eyesore along the quays.
This new building is a phallic symbol to the heads if the unions and they need more space for the slush fund the government department drop in to them every now and again. The Union Executives are the highest paid people in the country when you take in their fees for sitting on boards and the expenses claimed.
One newspaper estimated that the the heads of the top 2 unions was each earning 300,000 Euro from all their sources of income and their pension plans. They are index linked to the civil service.
Champaign socialists.
Frank, more of your lies, I thought that you were recently put straight. Perhaps you would like to substantiate some of your ‘facts’ in relation to pay for union officers? It might be difficult as you’re full of sh1t
Jones… the only person that might want to check his info is you. Frank well done. Union fatcats are just as bad as the government fatcats we just got rid of. the fact that they have to build a taller tower means they are trying to compensate for something. :-)
Sean, I know the facts
It would be more appropriate for siptu to use their funds to support members who are out of work. An insult to all those who paid dues for years. This country is just unbelievable!!!! Priorities ass backwards. Nothing new here!!!
They are not just building it for the sake of it. The current building is obviously not serving their needs, I assume they own the property?(I have no idea) So It would be cheaper for them to build a new building with all the energy and economical saving materials, so they will save money in the long term. There has been talk of this for years! so the money is obviously put by for it. The fact that it will create 200 jobs while building is nothing to be upset over! Bring it on!
And what about the other (450,000 -200=) 449,800 unemployed people who paid their union dues all their working lives . This is such an obvious clichéed reaction to such a waste of money …. 200 employed ….big ffin deal. Where were the union when peoples jobs were being lost or when we (have to)pay the banks bail outs and the unsecured bond holders …..etc or indeed the Troika? This new building should be wrapped up in a Big Brown Envelope …….
There are people who know the price of everything but the value of nothing. This is another one of these cases . People should really look at what is really valuable.
Jobs
Education
Special needs
Care of the elderly
Health
Homes
Crime prevention
Suicide awareness
Road traffic deaths
to mention just a few …
I’m not disputing money could be better spent! All money could be better spent! A bottle of wine bought in the supermarket, that money would be better off on the telephone bill or ESB bill?
As I said, the money put by for this was done so atleast 6 years ago when I first heard about it in college. It was probably contractually tied up somewhere. I’m only throwing reasonable ideas out there to give two sides a debate but it’s not just going to be another empty office block, it will serve its purpose, bring employment(200 is better than nothing) and it’ll replace a practically derelict building.
Like I said There are people who know the price of every thing ….
This building was let go derelict , just the same way our country
has been let go to wrack and ruin. I am always amazed at the attitude
of ”let’s knock it down” . Anyway like you say 200 people might get work
of course they will have to put the work out to tender and we can always
wait and see who will be brought in to do the work ….
I am just very disappointed at the lack of support the unions have given
to the people ! I just can not summon any enthusiasm for their little bits of
”news” That’s all !
Liberty Hall gets a bad rep. The buildings appearance was butchered over the years. Strip it back to its original appearance which was quiet beautiful and ‘light’. It is one of the few examples of modernist architecture in the country. I have no doubt its demolition will be frowned upon by the next generation just as we frown upon the destruction of Dublin’s Georgian streetscapes.
Yeah I’ve always quite liked liberty hall
Eh…how can that yoke be called iconic?
I agree its not the best looking building in the world.
Its still a Iconic building with Bags of history including 1916 Easter Rising,James Connolly and a building that served in the stepping stones of the General Workers Union.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Hall
How can they let this go ahead with the so called height restrictions?they stop the. Childrens hospital and allow this,the building is an eyesore,why not just know it down and turn it into a park,there is plenty of vacant premises in the city..
That new design stands out like s sir thumb, I though buildings like these had to blend into their surroundings?
O’Connor is out of touch with those he purports to represent. Then again, when hour own pay is in the top 5% what can you expect…
Mine is bigger than yours is an expression that comes to mind and in the midst of economic misery and massive unemployment perhaps Mr. O’Connor could decide his public profile is sufficiently well known.
If SIPTU had an ounce of taste they would reduce the height of this revolting eyesore and simply modernise it’s exterior cladding.
Isn’t it extraordinary to compare the modest buildings that comprise the headquarters of the employers group IBEC with this vulgar display of employee and ordinary member wealth.
It would be much better for SIPTU to find some creative way of investing in former members who have lost their jobs while senior UNION ćosied up to Bertie’s gang.
For possibly the first time ever I find myself in agreement with you. My employer requires that I’m in this union. It pains me to see the dues go out of my wages each week. We’ve seldom needed their services, but anytime we have they’ve been pretty useless. Jack O’Connor and the other leaders seem more than happy on their big wages cosying up to government ministers and this is just another vanity project wasting ordinary members money.
The new viewing area can be used to watch all those that are signing on every week in the capital. In the words of Vincent B. isn’t this just amazing.
Its cheaper to build it now than a few years back,maybe bono will get a start on the u2 tower that he was going to build in awhile back.Dublin could do with a nice modern skyline.
union parasite’s get their planning permission for a new building
badly needed children’s hospital rejected , so glad to see this country has its priorities right ,
what a country !!!!!!
People moan far too much
You know…just because you care about solidarity and workers rights doesn’t mean you should want to go back to the stone-age. SIPTU wanting to re-build an old building and make it more modern does not make them evil hypcocrites. Having said that, I don’t know how important this is on a whole, and there are arguably many better things the Union could do with the money
I thought it was currently 16 stories? To commentate 1916. The 1st line of the article states that it’s 17.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Hall
if nobody moaned, you would have no freedom,less money,easier ways to remove you from your job,more taxes ,for starters………..So keep on moaning and give us more food for thought!
The trade union elite. Big salaries, big expense accounts, big pensions, and every chance they get they make a drive at small business owners. I agree they should demolish ‘liberty hall’, and leave it at that.
only problem is they are rebuilding it, trade unionism has stopped being about what is right qnd is now all about individual greed, no matter how much the full timers want to convince themselves !
Agreed Kev, moaning is the foundation stone of democracy,we’re all conflict theorists at heart!
Edit….Senior Union figures
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