Does Dublin need more free activities? 

In a city with some of the highest housing costs in the world and set in a country that has only just emerged from a crippling cost of living crisis, would more free activities be a good use of public money to help families under financial pressure? 

Speaking on The Hard Shoulder, Newstalk journalist Simon Tierney said Dublin as a city seems to have been “built by adults for adults” with little consideration for family life. 

He gave as an example the Dublin Explorium which describes itself as the capital’s “home of sports, science, technology and adventure”. 

“If we were living in London, that would be for free,” he said. 

“Because the Science Museum - one of the largest museums in London - is free, I’ve been there many times. 

“It’s brilliant.” 

Visitors to the Phoenix Park. Photo: Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Simon said he often feels that “this entire city that we live in, our capital city, is behind a paywall”. 

“The Book of Kells - one of the biggest treasures in this country - that book has been on loan from the Bishop of Meath since 1661 to Trinity College,” he said. 

“Trinity College don’t own that book and it shouldn’t be behind a paywall.

“It should be a free amenity for the people of Ireland and we should be able to bring our kids to it for free.” 

The entrance to the Book Of Kells at Trinity College Dublin in 2007. Image: Pictures Colour Library / Alamy Stock Photo

Simon acknowledged that both the National Gallery and Natural History Museum are free but said officials should try and develop more. 

“I think we need to demand more from our civic amenities,” he said. 

“If you go to any other European city, they’re going to have public lidos - we don’t have a lido in this country, let alone in the capital city.” 

Main image: Grafton Street. Picture by: Ian Dagnall / Alamy Stock Photo.