Change the capital and solve the problem
The problem, as I see it, is that the cost of development in an urban area can be exorbitant in that land for compulsory purchase is so expensive in cities and the cost of planning and dealing with objections from various communities can be prohibitive.
Why then is 80% of national rail infrastructural investment going to the greater Dublin area when much more value for money can be obtained by investing in the national rail network and also in the rail in smaller cities.
The over-investment in Dublin is a national scandal in that Europe is left to pick up the tab for investment in the Midlands and Border counties. I pity these parts of the country when money from Europe dries up in 2006.
A very simple solution is to deal finally with the argument that "we need a capital to be proud of". The capital city is where Dáil Éireann is located.
It would be a very minor undertaking to relocate the Dáil to Galway, for example. (The Dáil is empty for half the year anyway.)
Such a move would result in a new motorway from Cork to Derry within five years and an international airport in Galway.
It would also lead to the marginalisation of Dublin with the obvious advantages this would have for house-buyers and commuters in the city.
A final point on investment pertains to Bertie Ahern's recent assertion that the Cork School of Music could not be built because of restrictions imposed by Europe. This is yet another example of Dublin being prioritised over everywhere else.
Due to the excessive urban sprawl around Dublin, a government with half a brain between them should realise that any restrictions should be made to apply exclusively to Dublin for the general good.
Where the money goes, the people follow not the other way around.
Martin Murphy,
Floral Heights,
St Christopher's Avenue,
Montenotte Park,
Cork.
