Re: Re: NSS & Decentralisation

Plannerman I assume your username is ironic?

Decentralisation, and the mentality behind it, is the single most backward and potentially fatal policy measure for public administration and coherent regional planning on this island. It was a simple bribe lumped onto a budget speech to shore up support for Fianna Fail in advance of the 2004 Local and European elections. It signifies all that is wrong with the structures of government in Ireland.

Firstly it is not decentralisation, as all power and decision making will remain centralised in Dublin 2. Real decentralisation as opposed to Oirish decentralisation involves giving regions autonomy over planning, taxes, health provision, education etc. like in Spain – a daft concept for a small island with less people than a decent sized city.

Secondly it is even more dispersed than the NSS, which was a political sop in any case. It also ignores the NSS as the locations were chosen on political grounds not planning grounds. Within 1 year, one government policy had been thoroughky shafted by another. Why should private interests be forced into certain areas when the State won’t even touch them?

Thirdly, the solution to Dublin’s congestion is not to disperse development across the island,. In fact the opposite is true. In order to establish a proper functioning mass transit network and sustainable communities, Dublin City requires more development and more consolidation, as opposed to the sprawl across Leinster you seem to advocate.

Fourthly, my last point does in no way whatsoever advocate the concentration of National Development or Investment into Dublin. What I advocate is the concentration of development into a number of large towns and cities to act as a counterbalance to the Capital. They would be places like Cork, Limerick, Galway, Athlone, Dundalk and Sligo. Outside of this not much more than natural growth and associated job creation should be encourage – No more massive multinationals along crap roads in small towns leaving Dublin as the only attractive option for most – no more dispersal of health services and 3rd level education to the four corners – no more subsidised airports that compromise the rest leading to hell in Dublin.

The regions can only be revitalised by the consolidation into a small number of large settlements. Without critical mass you have nothing