Dublin City Council has issued a statement on the proposed new rules on busking in the city. What do you think?

Currently no regulation exists to control Busking and Street Performance in Dublin City and the Council has been actively pursuing this issue over the last two years, it was agreed that bye laws were necessary.

Following a public consultation process for the Draft Bye Laws, a total of 88 submissions were received from performers, residents, business owners and city workers. The vast majority welcomed regulation with the main problem cited as noise.  A lot of people visiting and working in the City find the noise levels very invasive.

At a special meeting of its Strategic Policy Committee for Arts, Culture, Recreation and Community held earlier this week, Dublin City Council considered these draft Bye Laws to regulate street performance in the City and the various suggestions and responses received from the public.

The Committee agreed to recommend the proposed bye laws to the full City Council for final ratification at its upcoming meeting in February.

Cllr Mary Freehill, Chairperson of the Strategic Policy Committee , “I welcome this proposed regulation that will make for a more balanced, fair and level playing pitch both for performers and City Centre dwellers, business and workers. I am very pleased that we also agreed that the Bye Laws will be reviewed six months after implementation. We will invite public comment in September and responses will be reviewed by this Strategic Policy Committee in October. The review will particularly focus on the management and workability of the sound levels proposed.”

 

The draft bye laws propose the following (revisions to previous draft bye laws)

• Issuing of permits for performing, maximum noise level of 80 decibels – performance time frame 11am to 11p.m.

 

• A person may only perform for a maximum of two hours on the same site and  not perform twice in the same location within a 24 hour period

 

• Performers must be 3 meters away from business entrances/dwellings.

 

• Compliance will be monitored by Dublin City Council on a regular basis

 

• Ban on dangerous props has been removed and a requirement to hold public liability insurance has been included.

 

The report submitted to the Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) can be obtained by emailing cra@dublincity.ie  A copy of the draft bye laws which will now be amended to reflect the recommendation of the SPC and submitted to the February meeting of the City Council can also be obtained by emailing cra@dublincity.ie

If ratified by the City Council the bye laws will take legal effect in March.