DUBLIN CITY NEIGHBOURHOODS: TASCQ

Martin Harte and Claudine Murray of TASCQ, which was the winner of the Dublin City Neighbourhoods category, at the awards

Traders in the Area Supporting the Cultural Quarter (TASCQ) was set up in 2003 to represent traders in Temple Bar.

It brought together restaurateurs, hoteliers, publicans, retailers, cultural centres and service providers to “promote, maintain, enhance and protect the distinctiveness of Temple Bar and to encourage positive partnerships between the commercial and cultural communities.”

TASCQ boasts more than 90 members brought together to enhance the local environment and promote Temple Bar locally and abroad. Members pay an annual fee, funds from which go towards the running of a number of projects intended to improve the area. Among them is the environmental programme, focusing on keeping Temple Bar clean, monitoring littering and raising environmental awareness.

This is fostered through the Play Nice campaign, which encourages responsible trading and behaviour and aims at eliminating negative perceptions of Temple Bar. The group also organises the Temple Bar Green, Clean and Safe Awards to encourage all traders in the area to become more aware of and responsible for their immediate environment.

Through its website www.visit-templebar.com and a monthly newsletter, the organisation keeps in touch with the local community. Future plans include an environmental audit to look at reducing Temple Bar’s carbon footprint.

Runner-up: Summerhill Senior Citizens Group.