John Fitzgerald, Dublin City Manager
 
Growing the Population Stopping the Sprawl (Page 2)
 
Filling in the Missing Infrastructure
 
We have had a poor track record in terms of getting things done on the grand scale (for example witness the continued absence of a convention centre for the city.)
 
Every major project including much needed public transport takes much longer than necessary to get through the preliminary and planning processes. Once we get on site things happen fast. We are doing twenty five years work over a five year period and this, inevitably, causes problems in the short term. However, things have not been easy for the last few years but we have survived it. My belief is that the slowdown in the economy provides breathing space which eases pressure but must not be used to delay urgent implementation that is long overdue. Rather, it might make it more possible to speed up the implementation process.
 
The key issues are the big projects like the clean up of Dublin Bay, Luas, Quality Bus Corridors, Port Tunnel, Southern Port Access, Completion of the M50 Motorway.
 
Luas will run from October 2003. The tunnel will open in late 2004. The remaining section of motorway, the Southeast motorway will finish at the end of 2003. Widening of the existing M50 will continue in the meantime. Hence, within a three year period these will have significant impact on how the city functions and operates. We will have a by-pass for the city avoiding unnecessary through traffic. We can channel heavy goods vehicles through the tunnel thereby effectively prohibiting their presence in and through the city centre. The Dublin Bay Project which will have immediate impact on water quality in the bay and its environs will finish in the middle of next year.
 
On Waste Management, another key issue, we have made significant progress over the last twelve months including extensive expansion of city clean up which is long overdue. Our objective is to provide enough resources to bring cleanliness in the city up to European standards within the next twelve months. We still have a long way to go to meet best Europeans standards in terms of waste management and recycling; however, we have got off to a good start and implementation of the waste strategy for the Dublin Region is intact including proposals for a Waste to Energy plant at Poolbeg.
 
Things are improving; for example three years ago we were still deciding whether to refurbish or rebuild Ballymun. We have seen phenomenal progress there since the decision to go. Three years ago nobody believed light rail would happen; though it has limited capacity for traffic improvement it will alter fundamentally the image of public transport and the image of the city and will lend itself to future expansion, for example, in the fairly near future fifty thousand workers in the IFSC will have eight minute access on Luas to the city centre at lunchtime. Again, less than four years ago the port tunnel had still not been included in the Dublin City Development Plan; we are now on site.
 
Civic Leadership and Civic Pride
 
City Government must give leadership in civic improvements for example the Boardwalk, Smithfield, the Book Market on Capel Street Bridge, the Ha'penny Bridge and the Millennium Foot Bridge. Also, the Calatrava Bridges and restoration of City Hall. Outside the city centre regeneration of run down housing areas and older villages is continuing for example St. Michael's Estate, Fatima Mansions etc. We have local plans for restoration of villages and other centres. Regional offices have been opened in most places and area management including political involvement now operates.
 
The regeneration of the civic spine through O'Connell Street is slow and tedious mainly because of lack of commercial confidence in an area which is run down. We are moving towards creation of an architectural conservation area for O'Connell Street and are more than ever committed to making the regeneration happen; it is an important element in the future of Dublin.
 
Best use of City Centre space is a primary concern, for example, we are negotiating with the Fruit & Vegetable Market Traders at present. The wholesale market does not want to be in the city centre, causes unnecessary traffic problems (and is subjected to growing traffic restrictions). If we can agree that they should be located outside the city centre this will free up scarce and valuable space for which a framework plan is being drawn up; this will include provision for a retail market which will continue the existing tradition. We are also preparing framework plans for the Heuston Gateway (the area between Guinness and the Phoenix Park) and the south docks.
 
There are suggestions that Dublin Port should be vacated freeing up much additional land in the city centre. This was mooted about ten years ago and involved a proposal to move the port to Lough Shinny in North Dublin. This is not a feasible proposition as most of the port business operates within a radius of thirty to sixty miles from the city centre.