Gardaí on high alert for EU events & traffic disruptions - latest updates

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

The Hard Shoulder, with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman. On Newstalk, with Ciara.

Ciara Kelly (0:08)

As EU leaders are due to descend on Dublin this week, people are being warned of traffic disruptions, diversions and delays.

Buses are being diverted and pedestrian access will be restricted in many parts of the city. And Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly was also speaking today and said there will be absolutely no toleration for any disruption or roadblocks during the events this week. Joining us now to discuss this is the Dublin editor of the Irish Times, Olivia Kelly, chairperson of the Dublin Commuter Coalition, Jason Cullen and crime and security editor at the Irish Times, Conor Lally. If I could come to you first of all, Olivia, what can we expect around the city, do we know? And where will the worst areas be affected in terms of restrictions for people's movements?

Olivia Kelly (0:51)

The restrictions actually started this morning around the Convention Centre and I don't want to jinx anything, but today seemed to have gone pretty well and I'd almost say that traffic was perhaps a bit lighter in the city today.

Perhaps that's people making the choice not to come into town because there was ample warning of the restrictions. So today's restriction was really just around the immediate front of the Convention Centre. So just on Northwall Quay there.

It was quite a confined area, but that could have had repercussions as in you're putting a block on people following through along the North Quays there.

I think the reason why that probably wasn't so bad is because traffic anyway for most of the day from 7 AM, can't go down the North Quays past O'Connell Bridge and continue on straight there. Traffic has to turn left on to O'Connell Street anyway. I mean in normal times. So that's possibly why that didn't have too many repercussions of rush hour this morning. Now from tomorrow at 7 AM, and this one around the Convention Centre remains in place tomorrow. And then from tomorrow at 7 AM, around the National Gallery there, there's a cordon put in around that.

But I'd say tomorrow that could have more effects because it's more a sort of a city centre area than the Convention Centre had. But really where we're going to see the worst of the disruption is on Thursday. Because from 8 PM on Wednesday evening, they're going to close the Samuel Becket Bridge. So that north-south access across the river will be gone. And they'll widen the cordon around the Convention Centre. So they'll really be from sort of Amiens Street, you know, from around Connolly Station, from the Custom House, all the way down to the Point, so all the way down to where the river ends. That from Wednesday at 8 PM, that'll be out. So we're really talking. And then on Thursday, so that's, while it's from 8 PM, it's Thursday, where you see the repercussions of that. And also on Thursday, then the cordon around the National Gallery is widened as well. And that will take in Marion Square. It'll take in Caldera Street. It'll take in Bagot Street. So two areas of the city on Thursday will be substantially cut off. And I'd say at that stage, if anyone doesn't have to come into town, as in doesn't have to drive into town, I would say they'd be better off not doing that. If they can't, some people have to, but if they can't, leave that off. Now, at the same time, there will still be buses available. They'll be taking diversions, obviously, because they won't be able to go around those two areas. But I think by public transport, you'll still be able to get into town. But I'd say even at the best of times, driving into town isn't a great option. No, it's not.

Ciara Kelly (3:46)

But so that broadly the North Quays, the Convention Centre, the North Quays, down as far as the three arena, all around the National Gallery and the Marion Square, all towards over to, I suppose, the Taoiseach buildings and the Dall, all of those areas are caught up in it.

Olivia Kelly (4:00)

And all the way down to Bagot Street.

Ciara Kelly (4:01)

All right, let me bring in Jason Cullen, a chairperson of the Dublin Commuter Coalition. What are you advising people to do, Jason? Is it work from home? Is it go on public transport? Or is it just make yourselves aware of the diversions if you have to be in and around the city with a car?

Jason Cullen (4:18)

Yeah, I mean, obviously, there's gonna be a lot of disruption, especially Thursday, and what we recommend people to do is to plan as far ahead as possible.