Dublin City Council has announced that construction and conservation work on the 127-year-old market near Capel Street will begin by June, with completion expected by the third quarter of 2027.

This project will feature at least 80 stalls, providing a mix of retail and restaurant options that serve both locals and visitors, operating seven days a week as a “quintessentially Irish food market”, where customers are able to purchase groceries or dine at restaurants and trader stalls.

Facilities will be available for community growers, startup food businesses, and established local vendors who will have a “direct route to market with some producing on-site”. According to the council, “the new market will act as a catalyst for regeneration and new uses in the area while providing for food education and associated events”.

Originally part of a €425 million retail, residential, and office complex, the project has faced numerous delays since the Markets Framework Plan was published in 2005 and was further stalled during the 2008 financial crash. In 2011, the council announced considerably more modest plans to convert the market into a retail and wholesale food hub, but additional delays arose due to difficulties in securing vacant possession from remaining traders.

The facility was eventually vacated in August 2019, and the council planned to launch a continental style food court by 2021. However, the market has remained closed, aside from occasional rentals for storage, events, and film productions.

The historic building has suffered repeated vandalism since its closure, including fire damage to its wooden doors. In April last year, Richard Shakespeare, council chief executive, said the market was set for an autumn 2026 reopening, but now expects completion in the third quarter of 2027 at a cost of €26.4 million, and an operator to manage it will be appointed ahead of this date.