Alek Smart
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Well just to prove that this thread would not actually be acted upon in Civic Offices, yesterday (27th) saw some SUPER civil works being carries out in the CC.
The most enthusiastic was the arrival of some DCC staff in a small pick-up truck to the collapsed portion of the Leeson St Contra-Flow Bus Lane at the Pembroke St junction.
The bould DCC men unloaded a Wheelbarrow and filled it with some tar and chippings which they then proceeded to transfer into the fissure.
The mixture was then tapped gingerly with their shovels and Bus Drivers were even guided to position their wheels over the pieces which needed tamping..
But the evening witnessed a rather comprehensive exhibition of various civil works contractors carrying out trenching works at various locations in the City Centre.
The most dangerous and slipshod of these was in Suffolk St where the excavation was at the actual Bus Stops for both Dublin Bus and Aircoach.
Added to this was the presence of the hoarding outside the old Ulster Bank which is being refurbished.
At no point in the proceedings did ANY functionary from either Dublin City Council or Dublin Bus consider it worth their time or efffort to take action to reduce or eliminate the risk to both pedestrians and intending Bus Passengers.
It appears that both entities operate on the basis of “Ah sure they`ll be only there for a few hours”
The evening was somewhat rescued in a way by a serious Road Traffic Accident on Dawson St which necissated the Diverting of Traffic away from the entire area,a course of action which should have been implimented for the duration of the Suffolk St work.
The awful disaster on Wellington Quay appears top have faded from collective Civic and Corporate memory but one thing is for certain and that is the speed at which such accidents happen does not allow for such slipshod and amateurish inaction as was witnessed last evening.
In addition to this there were similarly non-managed sites at Tara St/Pearse St/D`Olier st which caused difficulties for Traffic and pedestrians.
Once again the common thread appears to be Speed-“The get stuck in and get it finished quick” principle in the hope that nobody will notice or complain.
The various contractors involved all appear to be content to disregard any or all safety regulations both for their own staff and for unfortunates who might just happen to be passing by.
This attitude of course allows for Maximum Profit from the Job and when added to a compliant and inactive City Administration is really a prime example of the Golf Course contracting principle.
All I wish to see is some evidence that the well paid and supposedely professional Civil Engineering fraternity are actually required to take an overview of the Works being carried out and to also be FORCED to make Traffic Arrangements in line with Best Practice in Safety Terms.
The present exhibitions of such works in the City almost totally rely on the skill and awareness of individual Drivers to ensure public safety.
If the City Manager and Director of Traffic are prepared to preside over and encourage this continuing dangerous practice then they should be required to make public any Safety Statements in relation to such contracted works.
The reality for me is that if this was London and the carry on I saw last evening was attempted,it would be allover the Local TV and Papers and somebody would be looking for resignations….But hey !!….It`s only the Brits that do that sort of thing…Paddy will keep his head down till it all blows over….Tiochfaidh ar LĂ indeed…. đĄIndeed Stephen,I am more concerned about the very noticeable deterioration in standards applying to Roads Maintenance.
Much of the work appears to be carried out in a haphazard manner both in the planning and execution of the job.
In fact having had an opportunity to sample the Dawson St “Patches” I can now see that these will soon begin to peel as the joins between the old and new surfaces are far from being sealed.
To me it always appears as if DCC`s Professionals have little or no idea of the amount of damage done by for example water ingress beneath the road surface.
Take a ramble around Dublin City after a period of heavy rain and take note of the numbers of Holes opened by the flushing out of the shovelfull`s of Chippings so beloved of DCC`s Paving Dept for decades….
Nobody within the City Council appears to have any responsibility for devising and administering acceptable MINIMUM standards which the Contractors MUST meet …..Is it a case of too close a relationship tween Paymaster and Payee I wonder…?????Reckon Burg_Eye could take a shot at applying for the Republics first Hash Cafe a la Amsterdamn…..It would be a winner alright methinks….A C Boles rules !!!! đ
IsI,the description U quote SHOULD be released worldwide by any Irish Citizen worthy of the title.
The events of St Patricks Day were perhaps the best advertised and fortold Public Order offences ever in the City.
It is worth bearing in mind that the average Garda is highly reluctant to use his/her power of arrest.
Several reasons dictate this,paperwork,time,the immediate probability of a court appearance and of being treated as an oppressive thug by the JUDGE !
However probably the single greatest reason for the Gardai`s “A sure he`s from a good family” attitude is that once placed under arrest the miscreant is now the TOTAL responsibility of firstly the arresting member and then the Station Officer as the arrestee is processed.
Most of the “Regulars” on the City Centre circuit are totally conversant with the workings of the Gardai and usually on rirst name terms with many of the Members themselves.
Some particularly concientious re-offenders even have preferred Gardai whom they actually like being arrested by due to quirks in the Members character which allows for a simpler or more rapid processing thus allowing for a more efficient use of the young criminals time.
Last year whilst in Paris for the 14th July parade and fireworks I was struck firstly by the far lower amount of Underage/Adolescent drinking in Public but also of a somewhat different and far more clear cut relationship between the Citoyens and the Polis.
Whilst standing along the entrance to the Pont D`Alma underpass we (The Crowd) were prevailed upon by members of the Parisian Police to move back from the kerbside and onto the footpath proper.
Many of the Foreigners were unable to undrerstand the request and were reluctant to move from a good vantage point .
Their reluctance was reinforced by some locals who argued the toss with the youthful “Flic” who returned several times,each time becoming more agitated at the refusal of the ever emboldened group.
Eventually one of the senior officers came along and spoke sternly with the locals who argued passionately back.
The issue however was decided quite rapidly in the end by the Senior officer telling the Parisian Lady who was leading the resistance that he was having no more of this nonsense and was instead handing it over to the CRS. who are a very different kettle of fish inded it seems.
The arrival of several brutish and paramilitary looking middle aged CRS officers prompted our Jeanne D`Arc to whisper to us that it is better now to move back without further delay.
Mind you she continued to mount a strong verbal resistance but she had lost the day….
It was obvious that few of the locals had any great liking for the CRS,and judging from the cut of the members that was entirely a reciprocated feeling BUT …….There was a very rapid change in mood from one of gay banter and ignoring of the ordinary Police request to a rapid compliance with the same request made with a mailed fist rather than a velveteen glove.
Michael McDowell is on record last year registering his dislike for the trappings of a “Military Looking” police force.
This sort of ethos is very desirable indeed IF the relevant Minister can point to a degree of effectivity by and respect for the Normal Police.
For far too many “Ordinary” poor bloody taxpayers the most commonly heard Garda response to a plea for assistance is along the lines of ……”Ye had it insured had`nt ye”………
Anyway Roll On Saturday………..24 Hrs R`n R shuld be enuf for any gouger…. đThe other item that somehow jars my well trained Archi-eye is the very engaging blockhouse which has been revealed on the centre median due south of Abbey Street.
Having gone to some extent to facilitate a Circular theme with the O Connell St project…IE: The Spire,The New Litter Bins……and even the Circular Torc at the base of the spire,our City Council then emits a wild whoop and pulls the tarpaulin back to reveal ………a VERY functional looking structure indeed resembling an outside toilet cubicle circa 1930`s Local Authority Housing.
A very good description of the device was thrown into my mind the other night when watching a very old episode of “Till Death Do Us Part”…..When pool oul Alf Garnet had to rush for the ” Kharzi” as he delicately put it….
Did the City Council`s artistic theme budget run out before they got to here..????Too Bloody right Graham.
As your pic so elequently states its not about the Street but it`s something deeply embedded in our culture that appreciates wallowing in CRAP.
But on a more serious note if the Photographer had turned a little to one side on the central median where the Pic was taken from he/she would have been able to inspect the JC Decaux AdFrame which DCC presumably had erected there to facilitate making announcements to it`s adoring citizenry.
For quite a while this wonderful piece of late 20th C street furniture contained a poster for a Pat Liddy exhibition in City Hall which had long passed its Hang-By date.
Having become totally pixxed off with seeing this long outdated notice still on display I wrote a letter to Madam at the Irish Times questioning DCC`s committment to this entire Boulevardization process,at least North of the Mason Dixon line (O Connell Bridge).
The rapid reaction from City Hall proved to me that God did actually exist,but lived in fact in Fleet St rather than Heaven.
Sadly however God appears to require regular updates as the Frame now contains a rather fetching Advert for Christmas on Ice in Smithfield…….Last Christmas of course…!
It`s somewhat simplistic of me I know but can I take this as evidence of any given level of Official Interest in the concept of a “Living City”…….Living in the last Ice Age perhaps !!! đŽ
