Despite my efforts, the Office of Public Works, at the instigation of the Court Service, have started to put up the ugly black railings across the portico of the Gandon designed Four Courts.
I’ve set out my reasons for opposing this development before. I’d just like to say three things now.
Firstly, a big thank you to the people who supported my eccentric campaign on an apparently minor issue. A particularly big thank you to the people who co-signed the official objection to the alterations.
Secondly, as the notice lodged with the planning office of Dublin City Council showed, this not being done for security reasons but for the minor convenience of Court Service officials. They didn’t like cleaning the porch in the mornings, you see. Well, here’s a photo of the similarly enclosed portico of the Customs House. Does it look like they don’t have to clean it any more, now that it’s a dead space? Or just like they don’t bother?
Thirdly, on a positive note, these alterations are reversable. And I’m hopeful that time will see us taking these ill-considered barriers down again.