Urban sprawl directly linked to health problems: Urban Forum

Dublin's urban sprawl is leading to a poorer quality of life and possible health problems, according to the Urban Forum, a group of construction professionals.

The forum is setting out a number of recommendations to improve the situation.

It wants to see the national spatial strategy updated as well as the creation of a second centre of population in the west to relieve the pressure on Dublin.

Director General of Engineers Ireland, Kevin Kernan said today that we have to make changes if we want to stay healthy.

He said: "We're becoming an increasingly car-dependent society and as a result that is having serious adverse health effects and we believe that with adequate planning strategies that we can impact positively on increasing obesity level and knock-on effects on diabetes and heart disease by making our cities and the entire urban society a much more user friendly experience for the people living there."