There has been a big jump this year in the number of Dublin businesses who see physical safety and security as among the top challenges facing the city.
A recent survey by the Dublin Chamber found that 31% of firms ranked it among their top three challenges, compared to 7% at the start of the year.
The jump comes after the recent riots in the city centre which led to significant damage to many businesses, as well as looting of some stores.
"This has been bubbling along since 2019," said Aebhric McGibney, director of public and international affairs at Dublin Chamber. "People here who weren't born in Ireland but have made it their home were worired because they look different... they were beginning to feel safety was an issue.
"With Covid things got emptied out, and we kind of need to set the rules about how we use the city going forward."
Mr McGibney said this was particularly important as the amount of pedestrian space increases, and as attempts are made at improving public space in the city centre.
"We need to make sure people feel safe, and they use the space," he said. "And by using that space then the best form of safety and security is having people around."
Mr McGibney did welcome the increased Garda presence in Dublin city in recent weeks, and said that was vital not just in the lead up to Christmas but also into the new year.
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While the Dublin Chamber survey saw a jump in concerns around security and safety, the top challenge cited by firms was the affordability of housing.
That was one of the top concerns referenced by 84% of respondents, down slightly from 85% in the first quarter of the year.
Poor infrastructure also remains a challenge 48% of those who took part in the Dublin Chamber survey said, followed by skills and labour shortages, picked by 48%.
Mr McGibney said the Government needed to be "relentless" in its efforts to improve the supply of housing, and the make progress on the city's infrastructure deficits.
"Dublin is also going to face quite a bit of a 'big dig' over the next few years," he said. "We have major transport projects, additional capacity for the energy grid to come into play just to deal with the volume of people.
"And we need an extra water supply source - Dublin will run out of water in the next few years unless we get extra capacity.
"There's are plans, but there's always plans - the problem is in the execution."
But when it comes to Dublin firms' focus for the year ahead, over three in five businesses identified attracting, retaining and upskilling staff as their top priority.
It is the third year in a row that talent has topped the priorities list for Dublin firms.
Nearly three in five businesses reported that issues like housing and infrastructure are combining to significantly impact their ability to retain and attract staff.
Issues like childcare costs are also seen as major blockages to getting more people into the workforce.
"One of the big sources of labour supply is actually women who are still working in the home - and it's often women; the second earner in a household," he said. "So childare is a big part of that - Government for the past two Budgets have increased the subsidy that goes to formal childcare, but really they need to keep going with that.
"The Budget announcement will only take effect in around September 2024 - it's been announced but it hasn't happened yet."
Mr McGibney also said there were huge tax barriers to the second person in a couple taking up employment, which can make entering or re-entering the workforce less attractive.
Dublin Chamber’s Q4 2023 Business Outlook Survey is based on the responses of Dublin Chamber members spread across the Greater Dublin Area.
The research also found almost all Dublin businesses, some 95%, have indicated the need for higher Garda visibility on the streets of Dublin.
Accounting for only 4% of businesses’ top priorities at the beginning of the year, the share of those reporting access to finance as a priority has increased markedly to approximately 16.5%.
Almost half of Dublin businesses do not believe the proposed bus gates on the quays will adequately reduce private car usage, beating the one-in-three who believe it will provide the means for a modal shift from private cars.
Increases to the minimum wage are not expected to yield an impact for almost two-thirds of businesses.
Almost one-in-five businesses expect a loss of profits in relation to the increase in minimum wage outlined in Budget 2024.
