Building to Last at Grangegorman

Yesterday, I had the honour of launching the Grangegorman Build to Last Community Forum in the Richmond Centre.

For me, this wasn’t just another diary engagement as Lord Mayor. Ever since I was first elected as a councillor for this area in 2009, I’ve been closely involved with the Grangegorman project. I’ve seen up close the enormous potential of this site, and I’ve worked with residents, community organisations, and the Grangegorman Development Agency to make sure local people are at the heart of that story.

From the very beginning, the regeneration of Grangegorman has always been about more than bricks and mortar. It has been about people, about opportunities, and about building a stronger community.

That’s why the legacy of the Grangegorman Labour & Learning Forum is so important. Since 2010, it created real pathways for local benefit: the pioneering Employment Charter that reserved a share of construction jobs for local residents; the Business Breakfasts that linked enterprise with community; the Joining Up the Dots reports that gave us a clear picture of the area; and its role in bringing the Area-Based Childhood Programme and TU Dublin’s Access to Apprenticeship Programme here. Those achievements made a real difference.

Now we move into a new chapter with the Build to Last Forum. This new structure builds on everything that has gone before, but with a stronger focus on long-term sustainability and resilience. The principle is simple: just as new buildings and facilities are designed to last, so too should the benefits for local people endure for generations.

The Forum’s work will:

• identify and respond to community needs,
• strengthen collaboration between agencies, businesses, and local groups,
• and keep inclusion, equality, and sustainability at the centre of decision-making.

That aligns very closely with the vision I’ve set out for my mayoralty, built on three pillars:

• Living City – making Dublin a place where people can live well, with pride of place and opportunity close to home.
• Active City – creating a healthier, more connected Dublin through better public spaces, amenities, and opportunities to get moving.
• Engaged City – ensuring that citizens’ voices shape decisions and that communities feel ownership of their future.

Already, the Forum is delivering. The publication of Joining Up the Dots 4 gives us a strong baseline of evidence to guide priorities for the years ahead. Combined with the lived experience of local organisations, it will ensure the Forum’s work is grounded, inclusive, and impactful.

Launching the Build to Last Forum yesterday was a proud moment for me, not only as Lord Mayor but also as the local councillor who has been with this project since the very beginning. I look forward to seeing the Forum grow, succeed, and deliver real, lasting benefits for the Grangegorman community.