The beloved Silk Road Café at the Chester Beatty, Dublin Castle, is being forced to close for six months to facilitate the EU Presidency, with no compensation. Instead of celebrating the café's 25th anniversary in July, owner Abraham Phelan will have to let go his loyal staff of many years. The least our public representatives and bodies can do is to compensate the workers, or offer an alternative premises so the café can continue to provide delicious food to Dubliners and visitors. They should also ensure that any other workers who are suffering job losses for the same reason are compensated.