The failure of several Government ministers to take responsibility for the disruption being caused by the use of Dublin Castle for Ireland’s EU Presidency is putting businesses in the city centre at risk of closure, according to Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes.
Deputy Hayes, who is a TD for Dublin Bay South, said:
“It’s incredibly disappointing to see so many businesses affected by the ongoing refusal of several Government ministers to address this. They are all passing the buck between them, no one is taking responsibility, and businesses and workers are suffering as a result.
“One business, the Silk Road Café, has had to resort to taking legal action after being forced to close their doors. Another, a restaurant called Bottega Toffoli, has seen turnover reduce by 40%. A third business, the MB Glow Spa and Aesthetic Clinic, is losing as much as €4,000 per week due to the restrictions in and around Dublin Castle.
“When I questioned the Minister of Enterprise in the Dáil this week, he passed the issue to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.
“I’ve been raising this with the Minister for Culture, the Minister for Enterprise, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs – even with the Taoiseach – but nobody is willing to take responsibility. The longer this goes on, the bigger the threat to the viability of these businesses, with one already closed and others facing huge uncertainty.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of a city, with Dublin’s coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants providing an excellent service to residents and tourists. They need to be valued by this Government – not treated as an afterthought.
“It’s appalling that Government decisions like this can be taken with no contingency plan for affected businesses. Is any member of Cabinet going to take responsibility, acknowledge the damage being done, and engage constructively with those impacted?”
July 10, 2026