Seomra Sproai Closed

by Faris Sun Dec 02, 2007 17:28

Sorry to hear that.Hope you can it sorted soon.Does anyone know what the story is with the Shell To Sea meeting that was going to be there on Tues.

by cs2s - shell chun sáile corcaí Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:10

Hopefully ye'll be back in full swing soon lads n lassies, the weekend with gluisteacht was amazing!
Seomra spraoí is an inspiration for all irish towns and cities!
Slán agus ádh mhór le gach rud!

by iosaf Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:23

Sorry to hear about that. Thoughts with you, I'm sure you'll work something better than an ample hedgeschool out.

by tomeile Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:37

Has it crossed anybody's mind that this was political ?

by pat c Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:25

For once I find myself in agreement with tomeile. Its certainly not normal for 4 firefighters to be accompanied by 10 gardai. Actualy it wouldnt be normal for even 4 firefigthers to visit. They usually visit in pairs, only more turn out if they have been contacted by the DCC Dangerous Buildings section.

I doubt very much if the Fire Brigade requested an escort of 10 gardai. An FOI request to DCC might be in order or a friendly Councillor could be asked to make enquiries.

by column left Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:31

The issue of fire certificate is not something that 'happens' at night.
The local fire officer would seek a meeting with the seomra heads at the beginning of the
project inception.

Property Speculation, anyone?

by mcbett - mcbett Mon Dec 03, 2007 13:30 mcbett at gmail dot com

Long Life to all the spontaneous grass roots springing in this city of paradoxes.
Lets grow strong and spread wide.
Long Life to Seomra Spraoi
A laughter will bury them
:-)
McBett

by Stefan from Germany - ALVP-Autonomous Left Vorderpfalz Mon Dec 03, 2007 14:53 aaknw at gmx dot de

Hey Ho Seomra Spraoi!
I´m Stefan who visited your lovely centre the first day in the new place!
I´m sorry to here that news but it shows that the police is interested in you, they noticed your political work!
So I would say thats a small success! In germany something like this happens lots of times. They always find a reason to break into social or autonomous centres and look around whats in there! In Frankfurt 80 policemen broke into a A-Centre because they wanted to get !! two !! posters against a Nazirallly in Frankfurt! And sure they made photos of the location and looked around in every room!

Dont give up, your centre is great so keep fighting!
I hope to visit Dublin in 2008 to see you all again!

Solidarity from southern germany!
ALVP- www.autonome-linke.de.vu

by brian Mon Dec 03, 2007 15:11

usually reads "another eviction, another squat" but "space" will do in relation to the state of social centres in ireland.....
sorry to hear about the shutdown...
can´t help but think of more sinister work thats going on behind the scenes.....how many other social centres offer similar services to those of seomra spraoi...definitely getting under someones nose there..
keep up da good work.....

by tony Mon Dec 03, 2007 16:35

For those who dont know(myself included)could someone explain what the seomra spraoi is/was

by social centre Mon Dec 03, 2007 17:05

Seomra Spraoi is a social centre in Dublin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_centre

by atc. Mon Dec 03, 2007 17:32

I doubt somehow there was any real heavy political conspiracy behind shutting it down. The groups like S2S who met there who have been in conflict with the Gardai/State recently wont just vanish into thin air, they'll just find another venue and continue on as before. I dont think they would seriously consider stuff like fanzine workshops or bike jumble sales as much of a threat to the security of the state in comparison to something like dissident republicans having a discussion about something like the PMJB manual.

More likely it was some random Gardai walking back to the Bridewell Station just down the road some night, and being quite surprised at a number of people standing around outside on the path smoking, visibly jarred or mad out of it at an early hour in the morning, with music upstairs and someone taking money on the door. If a place is operating as a de facto nightclub or gig venue with unlicensed alcohol on sale, no public liability insurance, no fire safety regulations in place, or no license to have people dancing on the premises, then it was inevitable that at some point the Garda would come along and shut it down. I dont see how this would have gone down any other way, regardless of the political stripe of the collective running the venue.

by lulu Mon Dec 03, 2007 18:19

It's unlikely that any action is too petty or futile for the Gardai to try it against 'dissenters'.

by Thomas Mon Dec 03, 2007 22:17

I imagine this has much more to do with the cops, and they were just waiting for something to pull SS up on. Fire Safety regulations are quite strict in this city these days (while today its a bollix for the left, all in all I understand) and I think the Gardai put 2 and 2 together and seen a way to get the doors closed on SS, if only for a while. The Firesafety lads would have to check Rhodes restaurant in the same way they'd check SS, but the cops had an agenda.

by Jacqueline Fallon Mon Dec 03, 2007 22:19

God, those are peculiar looking 'firemen' in the photos surely!

I would not be surprised if this 'fire inspection' was politically motivated. Two firemen would have sufficed for a fire inspection - 10 ‘firemen’ was surplus to requirements.

This type of action only results in inflaming angry emotions in some activists who might suspect (as I do) that this ‘fire inspection’ was just another opportunity for the political establishment to flex its muscles and attempt to quench the flames of political dissent, ach, the fools, do they not know - some types of ‘fires’ cannot be put out!

Best of luck to all at Seomra Spraoi and good luck with the fire-proofing. Please keep us all up-to-date.

by Cleaver Tue Dec 04, 2007 09:28

Quote: "This type of action only results in inflaming angry emotions in some activists"

Well lets hope a fire cert will keep some of those inflamed emotions in check.
Anyway regardless of the circumstances it seems better to me that Seomra Sproai is made fire safe. If this was politically motivated (which I doubt) then the state was given the perfect excuse.

I reckon a drugs raid during one of the music nights would have been far more damaging and effective,especially if some had been 'found'. So lets keep this in perspective, and I hope the crew can get the space open, and safe, soon.
Best wishes to all involved

by sc Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:58

Seomra Spraoi has a no drugs policy and are actually REALLY strict about it, it's also a non-smoking space so even the auld wacky tobaccy isn't going on in there. I'd be really surprised if that ever happened.

by Benny B Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:21

I have never heard of 10 gardai accompanying fire inspectors on what should be a routine mission.
This aspect should be investigated further. Did the fire inspectors request gardai? Who instigated the inspection?
Did SS receive a Fire Notice? What did it state?

by Dublins2s Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:59

Its been moved to the EENGO offices on Camden St at 7.30 tonight ( thats no. 10a above the Bounty Stores)

by BB Tue Dec 04, 2007 14:14

Shell-to-Sea, Seomra Spraoi, Gardai, Fire Inspectors - closure.

Now it all makes sense.

by Arise Tue Dec 04, 2007 17:11

For the building to be allowed to function again, a fire safety certificate is needed. This involves getting the building surveyed (easy enough). Plans, elevations and sections drawn up and the walls graded for fire safety, usually two types of wall, 30 minute fire grading and 1hr fire grading. Perhaps then the fire proofing of some walls and the instillation of fire doors might be needed. The biggest problem will be the getting a fire escape sorted. But once the building is surveyed this can be negotiated I'm sure.

by cleaver Tue Dec 04, 2007 20:51

Fire cert required under law - no fire cert - closure - get fire cert - reopen

by acid Wed Dec 05, 2007 00:27

Operation fire cert is GO!!!

by -) Wed Dec 05, 2007 13:53

Obviously there is no general Seomra meeting in the space on Thursday,instead there is a meetin organised for 7.30 in the Teachers Club 36 Parnell Square,up from O'Connell Street.
All those who have used the space in any way or would be able to help in any way with current situation are encouraged to attend..
Thanks!

by Anto Thu Dec 06, 2007 14:28

I cant help wondering why there are no pictures of the actual fire inspectors? Also, where does the number ten come from? More than one Garda is photographed twice,

Lastly, why would you not expect to be closed down when your not reaching minimum safety standards? If a fire were to happen you would be screaming for blood when such a fact came to light in another premises.

by one of spraoi collective - seomra spraoi Thu Dec 06, 2007 16:23

I posted this report on behalf of the seomra spraoi collective...

I didn't upload pictures of the Fire personnel as I hadn't asked their permission, & personally don't publish pictures of people online without asking.

Not a spraoi policy just a personal one.
Cops forfit this courtesy by default.

There were around 10 cops I was there, I did ask them to bunch together for a group shot. (& Actually I'm not being sarcastic here). They didn't comply.

by political nonsense Thu Dec 06, 2007 19:29

I know for a fact that there were 2 fire men not 10. The gardai must accompany them in such situations as you'd be surprised how many treats Dublin Fire Brigade get. What's wrong with the men doing their job in the interest of the population. The reason for there being so many gardai was because the premises is often very full, can you imagine if 2 guys turned up....they'd get laughed at. Oh and another thing is that they don't simply shut some where down as they look at all factors. The association were obviously NOT listening to advice given.

by Starstruck - WSM - Pers Cap Thu Dec 06, 2007 21:13

I dont think anyone was suggesting there was more than 2 people from the Fire Authorities.
Hopefully the space will be up and runnign again soon.
Seomra Spraoi abu!

by a spraoier Fri Dec 07, 2007 01:36

The report is only stating the facts as they happened, nothing more.
Friends of the seomra are doing everything possible to ensure the place is safe and open again as soon as possible.
The safety of all people who enter the building is very important to us all.

by M.O.S Fri Dec 07, 2007 17:58

The Fire Authority is basically the council, it has very little to do with the DFB at all.

Basically, you would have been dealing with the fire prevention lads of the local firestation, but the lads who sanction such moves and ARE the fire authority, haven't been near a fire in their lives. Theres a fire authority in each county, namely the county council.

Even the lads in 'fire prevention' (the prevention crowd) are not rank and file firefighters at all. some haven't ever been firefighters themselves, again the 'connection' with the job is vague.

Dublin Fire Brigade have very little to do with the fire authority, when asking about it, i'm just told 'its the council'. Not really their business, so it seems the Gardai and indeed the local council, did a job on seomra spraoi. It was obviously political.