Government’s lack of commitment and ambition for Dublin’s North Inner City caused Parnell Square re-development plan and regeneration of Dublin’s North Inner City generally to fail.
Since 2012 Mary has supported the plan for restoration and regeneration of Parnell Square into a vibrant, rich, cultural city quarter. Unfortunately, Government made no funds available to the Parnell Square Plan and consequently the pace of progress was glacial. In the absence of any Government funding Dublin City Council unsuccessfully sought private investment. The Government has in the same period invested €16million a year in cruel greyhound racing and most recently announced once off minimum €50million for the Ryder Cup in Adare.
The appalling lack of progress of the Parnell Square, Dominick Street, Dorset Street, Sean McDermott Street, Moore Street developments is down to a lack of political will. This absence of political will to regenerate Dublin’s North Inner City prompted Mary to convince her Fianna Fáil parliamentary colleagues to draft and introduce a bill to establish a North Inner-City Development Authority.
Mary’s proposal was born out of the experience of serving on the board of the Grangegorman Development Authority and the knowledge that no private investors will ever invest in an area that the state itself refuses to commit to. Unfortunately, the Minister for Finance Pascal Donohoe on behalf of the Government refused to support the legislation and voted it down. It is unbelievable to most that the Minister for Finance and TD for Dublin Central took time from his busy schedule to vote against a piece of legislation designed to champion his own constituency but that is exactly what he did.
Mary has submitted a motion to Dublin City Council calling on the Government to re-introduce the North Inner-City Development Authority bill and to provide funding for Parnell Square equivalent to the funding they provide for Greyhound racing and the Ryder cup.
Click HERE for Dublin City Council CEO’s letter to Councillors on the matter.
