Dublin is far too big for its boots and sucking the life out of rest of Ireland

The National Children’s Hospital should be renamed the Dublin Children’s Hospital as it should not be sited in a city centre location if it’s to cater for all the country..

Take, for example, the mother from Donegal who had to bring a sick child weekly to the Mater Hospital.

She drives from Donegal to the outskirts of Dublin, from whence she got a taxi to the Mater, at a cost of €20. Apart from the difficulty of transferring her child, she then faces a return journey of the same cost and difficulty.

Developer Michael Smith offered a greenfield site, west of Dublin, with lowrise buildings, no basement and grounds. It was refused. Why?

Then former taoiseach Bertie Ahern poured millions into the development of that most unsuitable site, Croke Park. It was his constituency and increased his profile for votegetting.

Similarly, regarding the expansion of Dublin Airport, Ulick McEvaddy had alternative plans, which were ignored. Dublin Airport workers are mainly in Bertie’s constituency. Monsignor James Horan had the right idea in developing Knock airport.

Why did former taoiseach Charlie Haughey spend tens of millions renovating Government Buildings and Kilmainham Jail, while many of his constituents continue to seek shelter in dooways and are homeless?

Decentralisation brought forward by former finance minister Charlie McCreevy was a brilliant idea. As a result, thousands of West of Irelanders are now able to live in their home territory. They do not have to endure long journeys by bus and train.

Multinationals are enticed to locate in Dublin City all the time. Sometimes, broadband is one of the inducements, while we neglect the rest of the country. The result is overcrowding, lack of housing, traffic chaos on the M50, and people forced to travel daily from Carlow, Wicklow, Mullingar to get to the main jobs centre.

Dublin does not need more houses; it needs fewer people.

Forty percent of drinking water leaks from Dublin mains. Our solution: drain the Shannon.

Why not fix the leaks?

Short of cash nationally? Close garda stations, post offices and schools even though the consequences are obvious. Fifteen years ago, The Economist had a detailed and telling analysis of Dublin. The conclusion was that Dublin was too big.

Yet, we continue to fund schemes to make Dublin even more unmanageable. Think about it.

Tom Hassett

c/o. “Roseville”

Strawberry Hill

Cork