The media must stop acting like Dublin city centre is some sort of “warzone”, Shane Coleman has said.

Dublin City Council has recently appointed a Night Time Economy Advisor or a ‘Night Mayor’ to help kickstart the capital’s night life and encourage people to spend more time in the city.

The appointment comes after the Dublin City Centre Taskforce recommended sweeping change, calling for more Gardaí, the revitalisation of the O’Connell street area and a ‘step change’ in inner city development.

On Newstalk Breakfast, presenter Shane Coleman admitted that Dublin is not “perfect” but insisted the city is far from dangerous.

“I think we need to be careful of developing this perception of Dublin city as a no-go area because I think that’s nonsense, frankly,” he said. 

“I think the actual stats, as opposed to perception, back that up. 

“There are issues - I’m not pretending there aren’t - but let’s also not say that Dublin is this no-go area where it’s impossible to enter safely and you’re entering into a warzone. 

“I think that’s exaggerated and I just think we in the media also need to be careful about putting forward that myth and accentuating that myth.” 

Cyclists wait to cross O'Connell Street in Dublin. Image: David Lyons / Alamy Stock Photo

Shane, who lives in the north inner city, said that “lots of people do go into town” and most enjoy themselves. 

“My kids socialise in town every weekend - I’m not worried about them going into town,” he said. 

“Something, of course, could happen but I’m not more worried about my kids going into town than I would have been when I was in the early 90s.” 

'They’re nervous of town'

Fellow presenter Ciara Kelly, who lives in the Wicklow town of Greystones, said she believes people feel far more nervous going into the city centre than before. 

“I am not from the school of, ‘Oh, I’d never go out in town’,” she said. 

“I know some people who are - I do but I’m not in there as often as you are, Shane. 

“I also definitely know people who say that they wouldn’t go into town, that they’re nervous of town. 

“I think [people] do see things that they’re not used to in the suburbs [and] I think it does put people off.” 

Night time view of O'Connell Street in Dublin.

Ciara said that she would feel nervous if one of her children said they were heading off into Dublin city centre. 

“You don’t walk down the Main Street of Blackrock and the Main Street of Ranelagh and see people injecting their groins,” she said. 

“You don’t see it. 

“Of course, there’s drug use everywhere but you can’t pretend the suburbs and the city are the same. 

“People are nervous of the city.” 

The recommendations of the Dublin City Centre Taskforce will be overseen and implemented by the Department of An Taoiseach.

Main image shows a split of Shane Coleman and Dublin city centre. Pictures: Newstalk and Alamy.com