The 127-year-old market is closing on Friday for a redevelopment which could take more than two years.
The final agreement is believed to involve a total payment of up to €5m, but individual settlements vary greatly according to factors such as turnover and square footage. Each settlement will also be liable to tax. Many of the businesses have been family-run for generations and paid a rent to the council one week in advance.
A previous redevelopment plan, which involved a hotel and apartment development failed because of the recession, but DCC Deputy Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare said he is confident that this plan will succeed.