Anti-social behaviour a concern for 23pc of Dublin city businesses, Fáilte Ireland report shows

A Fáilte Ireland presentation on concerns over anti-social behaviour in Dublin said perceptions of safety in the capital were in line with the norm for other large cities, but nearly a quarter of businesses were worried about their impact.

The briefing, which was prepared for the board of Fáilte Ireland last summer, said 63pc of visitors to Dublin were “more or less neutral” on safety in the city, with 8pc saying they considered it poor.

It said reported incidents of crime against tourists and the public had not increased in recent months. The briefing said 23pc of businesses in Dublin had concerns about anti-social behaviour, which compared unfavourably with just 5pc of businesses for the rest of Ireland.

It cited a Global Peace Index — rating countries according to safety and the likelihood of danger — in which Ireland ranked in third place.

Among those who said Dublin was unsafe, 59pc said it was a fear of crime, 38pc a lack of police or security presence and 32pc complained of the general appearance of the city.

The presentation also detailed how they had “scraped” social media to get a sense of how people were talking about safety in the capital.

Common themes were anti-social behaviour, open drug use and dealing and violent attacks, with O’Connell Street, Dame Street and Temple Bar the most frequently mentioned locations.

It explained how a separate night-time safety audit was to take place in conjunction with Dublin City Council. A copy of a briefing on that audit said Dublin needed to be “safe and reassuring but also edgy” while working to maintain its authenticity.

It looked at several areas, including Henry Street and Liffey Street, both of which were said to “suffer from negative after-dark safety perceptions, particularly among women”.

Meeting House Square in Temple Bar was also identified as a place that was “often empty and foreboding”.

A spokesman for Fáilte Ireland said it was important to note some of the research presented to the board last July dated from 2022.

Fáilte Ireland will continue its regular engagement with An Garda Síochána and Dublin’s local authorities to ensure that all visitors continue to feel safe and welcome,” he said.

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