Dublin's GPO to be revamped as a mixed used 'cultural' development with shops and offices
DUBLIN'S HISTORIC General Post Office (GPO) is set to become a mixed-use development under plans being brought to Cabinet today by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Martin will seek sign-off from his Government colleagues to revamp the iconic building as a flagship project, with cultural, retail and office elements.
The revamp will form part of a wider roadmap to revitalise Dublin City and to bring last year's Dublin City Taskforce recommendations to life.
The redevelopment of the building that housed the 1916 Rising has long been speculated on, with the Dublin City Taskforce
last year recommending
that it be used as a 'major public building' with a greater public importance.
Advertisement
Despite a number of proposals being made to the task force, including a suggestion that it become home to the public broadcaster RTÉ, it did not make a determination on the redevelopment.
The roadmap being brought to Cabinet today by the Taoiseach will set out a 10 year plan for government to act on to improve Dublin.
As part of this, the Taoiseach is proposing that a Designated Activity Company be set up to regenerate parts of the city, similar to the approach taken in the 1990s when Temple Bar was redeveloped.
The vehicle would allow the local authority to harness private investment and is expected to be set up by the end of the year.
While that is being set up, a Project Management Office will be established by the council to begin the work urgently.
Further details are expected to be announced by the government tomorrow.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
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.
Learn More
Support The Journal

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on Government spending: a warning to the Cabinet
The decision by the Minister for Public Expenditure, Jack Chambers, to warn his Cabinet colleagues that spending overruns must be avoided this year is notable. It remains to be seen, however, whether the spending Ministers will take it seriously. Last year the tacit understanding was there could be no spending clampdown ahead of the general election. It remains to be seen if the issue is taken more seriously this year. We must presume that Chambers will have the support of Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe. But the key issue will be the attitude of Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris. If they are not signed up to tighter spending control, then it simply will not happen. Spending is again running well ahead of schedule this year and the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) cautions that a €2 billion overrun could be in prospect. Nor is this new. The Central Bank calculates that spending – excluding once-offs – has grown by 37 per cent since the end of 2021, more than twice what would have occurred had the rule to keep annual spending growth to 5 per cent been adhered to. This rule, introduced in 2021 , has been more honoured in the breach. True, there have been exceptional circumstances and some tax revenues has been put aside into two funds for the future. While this is welcome, the latest Ifac assessment points out that predictable overruns last year were not included in this year's spending calculations, meaning that they never looked realistic from day one. This is a poor basis for budgeting. READ MORE Ireland needs to avoid doubling down on its bets on corporate tax, particularly given the current uncertainties. It is vital , if tax revenues slow, to avoid having to make emergency spending cuts, particularly on key infrastructure spending. The additional State cash is also being injected into an economy already at full capacity. Better control is needed - and a convincing budget framework replacing the 5 per cent rule. A new medium term budget plan is due – the question is whether anyone takes it seriously.

The Journal
3 hours ago
- The Journal
No timeline for 'tourism tax' but Taoiseach says it could help fund Dublin city revamp
A TOURISM TAX could help bring in 'significant' funding for a plan to 'revitalise' Dublin city, the Taoiseach said. The Journal reported last week that Micheál Martin is not opposed to the idea, but the Taoiseach went further today at the launch of the Dublin City Taskforce roadmap . He told reporters today that assessments show such a tax could take in between €4-€41 million, but asked when it could be introduced, the Taoiseach said the measure would have to be 'examined in more detail'. Martin said that a tourism tax will be examined to help fund the 'significant' expenditure needed to make the city more enticing. 'It could provide additional revenue raising powers, so that will be examined. Because, let's be honest, there's going to be significant investment here. Advertisement 'There's going to be significant additional expenditure to make the city more attractive. 'It will be examined in more detail. Estimates varies between depending on rate of fee applied, it would range from four million to €41 million.' The Tánaiste added: 'There can be significant benefit in a tourist tax if done in the correct way. 'Many, many European capital cities have it, but of course, you want to get the timing right, you want to, obviously consult,' said Harris. He added it would also be about 'empowering' Dublin City Council to decide whether it needed an additional revenue stream. 'The idea that people who visit our city would make a small contribution, they would go back into the city council coffers to help them deliver some of the projects. 'So fundamentally, I believe, massively in local government, empowering councillors and providing revenue streams, there needs to be a sensitivity around the timing.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... 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. Learn More Support The Journal


Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Occupied Territories Bill: Services decision to be based on advice from Attorney General
The Government will make a decision on whether to include services in the Occupied Territories Bill based on advice from the Attorney General, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil. Micheál Martin said the Attorney General 's advice would be available to Government 'as the Bill is going through'. The new legislation, which will ban trade in goods with Israel that are produced in the occupied territories, will go through the pre-legislative scrutiny process first, he said. He also told TDs Ireland would be the first county in Europe to introduce such an Act and that the Government wants to ensure 'getting a European focus on the occupied territories'. The issue was raised in the Dáil after Tánaiste Simon Harris brought the legislation to Cabinet on Tuesday. The Israeli Settlements Prohibition of Importation of Goods Bill will make it an offence under the Customs Act to import goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. READ MORE Mr Harris has asked the Attorney General for legal advice about the inclusion of services. The Tánaiste said he was open to considering amendments on trade in services during the legislative process. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said the Government had never laid out the 'legal distinction between goods and services'. He asked if the Attorney General's advice will be 'completed and published before the Bill is brought before the committee so that we can actually see the legal basis that the Government is saying that services need to be excluded'. Mr Murphy called on the Government to 'set out in detail why you have an issue with the exclusion of services'. Labour leader Ivana Bacik said Government appears to have 'closed the door on banning the importation of services, services that are in enriching those profiteering from genocide at a time when we know that 70 per cent of Ireland's trade with Israel is services'. The Taoiseach said the Bill only affects the occupied territories. 'So I think you're conflating two different things,' he said. [ Despite the politics, Ireland is Israel's second-biggest export market for goods Opens in new window ] Mr Martin said the advice on services would be 'available to Government in terms of whether we can include it or not'. He said Government will make its position, based on the advice, clear to the committee considering the legalisation. However, he said 'there's a fair difference in terms of services, both in terms of tracking and tracing and manageability'. Mr Martin described the legislation as 'quite a good Bill in terms of linking it to the customs legislation' and creating offences under the Customs Act. Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney hit out at the EU and said its 'descent into moral turpitude has been both swift and shocking. Its silence on Gaza is deafening. No matter what depravity is committed by Israel, the EU refuses to act. No matter how high the death toll, no matter how many children are brutalised, mass murder, maiming, starvation, and decimation, nothing has prompted any action. 'Israel's genocide has continued, unimpeded, and uninterrupted by the EU. It hasn't even managed to agree a joint criticism of Israel yet.' She said a review of the EU Israel Association Agreement found Israel was in breach of its human rights obligations, 'but instead of suspending the agreement, the EU did nothing'. [ EU's review of Gaza war based on alleged 'grave violations' by Israel Opens in new window ] Mr Martin said 'I'm not happy that we cannot get unanimity across the 2017 EU member of states'. 'There may be opportunities to suspend elements of that agreement that would not require unanimity, and that's being pursued by Ireland and other like-minded states in respect of this.' He told Ms Gibney that countries like Germany, Hungary and others, 'have a long-standing historic positions of support for Israel. I regret that, I disagree with it. But the EU is an association of 27 members.'