Re: Re: Dublin Eastern Bypass feasibility report

are you saying we should put this backward nonsense on the table because we as a citizenry are incapable of debating our city without it being framed by a battle?

It certainly is depressing, alonso, but there seems to be no effective way that ‘the citizenry’ (however defined) can enter into any meaningful debate about major (or indeed, minor) planning issues outside the context of the councillor/planner/developer magic circle. It’s a major democratic deficit with the whole planning system; formal ‘consultation’ is fine, but that should never be confused with debate and ‘discursive democracy’ – which is far too heady stuff. That is why ‘issues’ and ‘battles’ are often the only way to waken the citizenry up.
Any planners care to comment?