The developers building a six-storey hotel at Portobello Plaza didn't pay a cent to rent the public square for two years.
The Plaza was cordoned off in December last year to allow for storage space for the construction which likely won't be finished until 2023. Residents were outraged when they realised a large portion of the square would be occupied by construction equipment and martials.
Dublin City Council's Chief Executive Owen Keegan said the developers only paid for the "standard road opening and hoarding licence" and nothing for a large portion of the plaza in an area with a shortage of public spaces. Fine Gael Councillor Danny Byrne, who asked the Chief about the situation, was "shocked" by the revelation.
