Changes urged to Docklands plan

MAJOR changes to the Docklands Development Bill, currently before the Dail, are being demanded by inner city community organisations - including an extension of the area it covers.

One of their principal concerns is that there would be no repetition of the Custom House Docks experience, where the benefits to local communities from £400 million worth of urban renewal are seen by community activists as very limited.

Mr David Connolly, director of the Inner City Partnership, told the Dail Committee on Finance and General Affairs that the Bill should be amended to extend the designated area into Gardiner Street and Sean MacDermott Street.

He also called for a more democratically accountable structure for the Docklands Development Authority which is to take charge of an area of 1,300 acres stretching from the Custom House to the Pigeon House and beyond.

Mr Eoin Ryan TD, Fianna Fail spokesman on urban renewal, tabled an amendment to ensure that the authority would have an education officer to promote training and employment opportunities for local people who felt left out of the boom.

He said the area involved was "too vast" to be covered by a single master plan. "It would be better to start off with a smaller area on the northside and another on the southside instead of rushing ahead with this plan."

Mr Tony Gregory TD (Ind) said the designated development area was "lopsided in favour of Mr Ruairi Quinn's constituency in Ringsend and includes only a small part of the northside", where communities had relied on jobs in the docks.

"We need to write into any agreement with developers that they will take on a certain proportion of local people. If the State is the engine behind this, local employment opportunities have to be a fundamental part of the project."

Mr Gregory said all developments in the area should be subject to the normal planning process. "The last thing we need is a mass of small apartments which are just transient hostels for people on their way out to the suburbs."

Submissions on the Bill were also made by the Inner City Organisations Network, the North Wall Community Association, the South East Network and Community Technical Aid, which is advising the various community groups.