Sir, – The Irish Times reports that in response to new projections that the population will grow to 5.7 million by 2030, the Government is amending the National Development Plan to build an additional 100,000 homes in the Dublin area (“An extra 120,000 homes may be needed by 2030, Ministers warned”, News, January 31st).
Surely a country which claims to pursue a policy of building regional counterweights to Dublin should at least consider the possibility of locating this population in its regional cities?
If it did so, it would find that Limerick lies at the centre of national road and rail networks, has a local rail infrastructure waiting for commuter trains, a historic Georgian core and landbanks within minutes of its centre ripe for quality high-density housing.
It is the ideal location to build a regional city of scale to rebalance the country.
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The country appears to be pursuing an undeclared policy of expanding Dublin and ignoring the policy of balanced regional development. – Yours, etc,
DAVID GEARY,
Limerick.
