Dublin not prepared for population explosion, warn city’s business leaders

DUBLIN will ground to a halt in the next few years, business leaders warned yesterday, predicting chaos as a result of massive population increases expected in the capital.

Around half a million extra people are expected to set up home in Dublin by 2021, with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce arguing yesterday little if no groundwork is in place for the population boom.

Some €30 billion must be set aside by the next Government to tackle housing, infrastructure and health needs for the city’s citizens, the chamber believes.

Dublin’s trading chiefs also insist that if the capital’s roads, hospitals and child support systems are ill-prepared, ultimately jobs will be lost.

“The greater Dublin area accounts for about half of all national output and two in every five jobs in the country,” warned the chamber of commerce.

In an election manifesto, the chamber insisted Dublin’s international competitiveness is “falling behind”. Studies to develop the city were gathering dust on shelves, while roads were “badly congested”.

Leading TDs across several political parties will debate the chamber’s warning this morning at the Conrad Hotel. Among the issues businesses chiefs want addressed are:

* Projects under Transport 21 finished by 2012.

* Construction started on an outer orbital road for Dublin.

* A decision made on the future of Dublin Port.

* Airport projects finished by 2009.

* The city’s bus fleet expanded by 200 before 2009.

“Over the coming five years we want delivery, delivery, delivery.

“The Dublin business community does not want more feasibility studies.

“Instead we are calling on all parties vying for seats in the forthcoming election to implement the comprehensive studies currently sitting on shelves collecting dust,” said Dublin chamber chief executive Gina Quin yesterday.

The business priorities must be met, she added, or the capital will see unemployment numbers rise.