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We're in a housing crisis. We need to double the height of Dublin's planned new town

The capital’s housing plans require much greater ambition, writes Paul O’Donoghue.

baile-bogain-2-fade9900-d7d2-4ce2-a026-89e79f66367c-296x260 Plans for Ballybogan Dublin City Council Dublin City Council

“DESPERATE TIMES CALL for… level-headed measures” could be the slogan for Dublin’s newest planned town, Ballyboggan.

Not the most exciting of phrases – because, while Ballyboggan is certainly welcome, it’s not the most exciting of developments.

Well, perhaps that’s a little harsh.

Dublin City Council has proposed building the ‘new town’ of Ballyboggan on the site of the Dublin Industrial Estate, opposite Glasnevin Cemetery on the north side of the city.

Three quarters of the land would be zoned for residential use, with the rest for enterprise and community uses.

It’s estimated about 6,000 houses could be delivered. With the typical household size being three people, this means about 15,000 people could be housed.

And these residents won’t be living just anywhere. The site is just 3km from Dublin city centre, with excellent transport links including a rail and Luas connection.

So the plan is good news. And there’s a positive in seeing Dublin City Council taking the initiative with a major residential development.

So why the snarky slogan suggestion?

It’s because while the Ballyboggan proposal is a good one, it could and should be much more ambitious.

Most of the proposed buildings on the site would be three to four storeys, with a small number going as high as eight.

Simply put, we should be doing much more with undeveloped sites located in prime areas near Dublin city centre.

Housing crisis demands

Rather than aiming to build 6,000 homes, we could look at building far more by increasing the average height of the new buildings. The default should be six to eight storeys.

Why? Doubling the height in this way would lead to much greater density, delivering far more homes.

The scale of the housing crisis demands it.

The number of new homes built in Ireland has been stuck at about 30,000 per year for the last three years.

For much of that period, house price inflation has been running at about 10%. An estimated seven in ten 25-year-olds live at home, while many older renters face living in near poverty in retirement.

In the face of such an enormous problem, state agencies should be bold.

misty-january-sunset-over-glasnevin-round-tower-and-cemetery The new town will be beside Glasnevin, famous for its cemetery. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

House price inflation

Previously, this column has looked at the impact building new homes will have on house prices. At a simplistic level, some studies have found that a 1% increase in the number of homes in an area lowers prices by up to 2%.

As of the most recent census in 2022, the Dublin city area had about 250,000 homes.

So Ballyboggan would be a 2.5% increase in housing stock, which theoretically would be a 5% reduction in house prices. Sounds like a pretty good result from just one housing development.

But then, consider that Dublin house prices rose by over 8% in 2024 alone. All else being equal, Ballyboggan would just slow inflation, not stop it. And only for a single year.

Of course, there are other housing developments being built in the Dublin city area. The point of this mental exercise is to show that while 6,000 houses might sound like a lot, its impact on housing affordability might not actually be as big as expected. 

There aren’t many residential sites left in the Dublin city area with the potential to deliver as many homes as Ballyboggan. 

Going six to eight storeys would likely allow closer to 10,000 homes to be built. This has also been found to be the ideal height to make apartments economically viable for developers.

But besides that, we should be absolutely maximising housing delivery.

And yet, a look at the Ballyboggan master plan doesn’t give the impression that officials appreciate the urgency needed.

For a start, it says the proposal “represents the implementation of the National Planning Framework (NPF) at a local level in the city”. The NPF is a national state document which had housing targets based on 2016 population figures, which are now seriously out of date.

While the NPF was updated in April 2025, the Ballyboggan master plan was first published in April 2024 and finalised in October.

dublin-transportation-hub-for-tram-train-and-bus-in-broombridge-station-illustrates-lower-number-of-commuters-during-epidemics-covid-19-coronavirus The Broombridge transport hub will serve Ballybogan. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Low-rise limitations

The document also uses language which points to how slightly higher buildings are generally viewed negatively.

Talking about an area of Ballyboggan where only buildings of up to four storeys are planned, it says that lower building heights “are required adjacent in order to safeguard the residential amenity of this mature residential area”.

Again, it’s understandable why the council would think this way. They want to minimise local objections and get the project moving faster.

But it points to a big problem in Dublin. Most of the capital already has ‘mature’ buildings with low heights. This is true even smack bang in the city centre, where there are plenty of two storey buildings.

If we were to limit ourselves to only building low-rise in these ‘mature’ areas, we’re saying there’s almost nowhere that we can build high rise developments.

And again, that’s only if you even consider eight storeys ‘tall’. This is completely standard in many continental European cities, which tend to have better density and more affordable housing than Dublin.

Really, it’s doubtful whether there should be height limits at all. The masterplan talks about concerns of “monolithic slab blocks” if large standalone buildings were constructed. But does this concern really outweigh the needs of people without a place to live?

More density would also mean the homes which are built would take up less space. People will rightly complain of issues that mass house-building causes in an area. Traffic is the most obvious one, as well as the strain on local services, such as schools and doctors.

Building up means there’s more space available for the likes of public transport. It would also mean extra people could be housed while maintaining the plans in the masterplan for communal areas such as parks.

Time to be bold

Finally, Irish housing consultations tend to have plenty of concern for the people who already live in an area. But we don’t think too much about those who would like to live somewhere, and need to be housed.

With that in mind, it’s worth looking at the public consultation for the Ballyboggan plan. The bulk of the submissions to public consultations around new housing developments are normally from people objecting to the proposals.

However, with Ballyboggan, it’s the opposite. Plenty of people have written to Dublin City Council expressing disappointment with the lack of ambition for the site.

The submissions article articulate the issue well, here’s a small sample:

  • “While it is encouraging to see the residential development… the proposed densities are completely inadequate for this prime site. The plan would represent a huge missed opportunity to provide homes for thousands of people at a time of overwhelming demand, particularly in Dublin.”
  • “While development on this large plot of land is welcome, it is very disheartening to see the densities and heights set so low for such a strategic and well placed area with great public transport and close to the city centre.”
  • “The density does not reflect its location or the scale of the housing crisis.”

Although there were only several dozen submissions at the time of writing, the fact that most of them are in favour of increased height and density is noteworthy.

It’s time for Dublin City Council, and Irish local state bodies in general, to be bolder in tackling the housing crisis. The time to try to fix this by slowly building out miles of low-density housing estates has passed.

Tens of thousands of new homes are needed, and the only way to do that in a city as small as Dublin is to build up. This of course has to be planned around – providing good transport, access to facilities, and so on.

Ballyboggan could and should be a model of this approach. Slow and steady hasn’t worked. Dramatic change is needed.

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126 Comments
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    Mute Finian McG
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    May 11th 2025, 7:08 AM

    Doubling the amount of deportations of false asylum seekers (two thirds of them) would be a lot cheaper.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 7:20 AM

    @Finian McG: Makes absolute sense! Or maybe just stop letting them into the country! I know, it’s a crazy idea. Protecting our borders. Nuts.

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    Mute Finian McG
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    May 11th 2025, 7:26 AM

    @GLxEnHDy: all these people are entitled to family reunification down the line that quadruples the problem. More competition for housing.

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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    May 11th 2025, 7:41 AM

    @GLxEnHDy: Hopefully they have a mosque as part of the building plans just to piss freaks like you off.

    29
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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 7:55 AM

    @Finian McG: pretty sure 80% are refused asylum anyway so not sure how much they affect the housing stock as they’re put up in old hotels and offices while being processed.

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 7:56 AM

    @GLxEnHDy: how do you stop letting them into the country? If they arrive with no documents and claim asylum at the airport they have to be processed under current law. We also have an open border with the UK which is where most of them come from to claim asylum. No easy solutions.

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    Mute Seriously Really
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    May 11th 2025, 7:56 AM

    @Finian McG: Yes… Great idea! At same time we deport all the migrants. We return all of the immigrant Irish around the world. And deny all of our young people to apply for programs like J1. This should solve all of our inner-country issues.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 7:57 AM

    @Anthony Curran: What is freakish about protecting a country’s borders? Please explain, if you can. Also, hoping to piss strangers off on a lovely Sunday morning is a bit weird. Maybe you can get some help for yourself.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 7:59 AM

    @Seriously Really: Or maybe just have a sensible immigration policy that works. Have you thought of that? Or do you want to keep throwing your toys out of the pram, baby girl?

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 8:07 AM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: That mindset has only come into play over the past 10 years or so, Eoin. Look at Hungary. It’s not that difficult if there is a will. Ireland is crying out for a decent political party that has the interests of the people at heart. We pay so much in tax, where is it going?

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 8:15 AM

    @john doe: People l

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    Mute Great Eagle
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    May 11th 2025, 8:33 AM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: Germany has announced that it will not admit any asylum seekers/scammigrints that arrive without documents, and Poland or Hungary doesn’t allow them in either way. Seems a good place to start.

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 10:32 AM

    @Great Eagle: so where do we put them when they arrive? We have an open border to the UK, and airlines won’t accept passengers with no ID

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    Mute DMA
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    May 11th 2025, 10:46 AM

    @Seriously Really: People from Ireland who left our shores in seek of work, did exactly just that….WORK. They lived wherever they could, with friends, family, bedsits or slept rough until such time as they could afford better sleeping arrangements. They worked in dangerous work environments and had no rights or advocacy groups to represent or protect them.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    May 11th 2025, 10:47 AM

    The world will continue to gather around you folks, don’t be scared you skypointers

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    Mute Paddy C
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    May 11th 2025, 11:08 AM

    @Great Eagle: we’ll catch up with they’re sensible ways only thing is it’ll probably take years.

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 11:37 AM

    @DMA: did lots of them not end up as homeless drunks and involved in crime etc?

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    Mute John Deane
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    May 11th 2025, 11:58 AM

    @Finian McG:

    Always some tool blaming asylum seekers

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 12:07 PM

    @Finian McG: Asylum Seekers aren’t the problem. Not even with Family Reunification.

    It’s the Visa Holding Economic immigration that is the biggest problem.
    **ESPECIALLY** when they start demanding new Rights/Entitlements to bring in their families.
    Be they from Australia, America, Philippines, Nigeria, Singapore, Turkey (except Kurds), or Canada.

    Doesn’t matter where they are from.
    We don’t go to America or Australia on legitimate Work Visas, then start demanding the Right to bring in the rest of our Family.

    Either, both parents get work visas BEFORE they move the family, then entire family (meaning parents and offspring, not grandparents or adult siblings!) moves to a different Nation with them.
    OR
    We get Work Visas as young adults and, yennow, *escape* from the family for a few years ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯ We don’t seek to bring other family members with us. We don’t even “demand” they let our Boyfriend/Girlfriend in with us – it’s every man/woman for themselves. Each gets their own visa, or they don’t. Either way, whoever does get a visa – GOES. Even if that means leaving others behind.

    So, equally, anyone coming to Ireland *for work* on (legally documented) Work Visas should be limited to a maximum of 2 year visa, requiring return home and re-application, thus discouraging permanent settlement.
    And definitely shouldn’t be given family reunification. Otherwise, that should be indicative of lying on visa application.

    Make yer bit of money. Inject it into building a better life back home or re-use it to apply for a work visa to a different Nation (like the Irish do. Australia first, America after, maybe a bit of low-tax-no-tax UAE too and so on). That is the purpose of Nations offering your home Nation Work Visas – opportunity to improve your citizens’, and in-turn your home Nations’, longer-term economic well-being.

    So if anyone at all should get Family Reunification – it is only and solely those Seeking Asylum from real, actual Terrorists and State Oppression.

    Because it is very fking wrong to leave your granny behind, when bombs are reigning down on your neighbourhood.
    Even if you are saving the next generation first (the babies and children).
    Let granny in!
    End of story.

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    May 11th 2025, 12:22 PM

    @GLxEnHDy: what is the great plan to protect our borders and does that mean throwing the Good Friday Agreement out as well.

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    May 11th 2025, 12:23 PM

    @GLxEnHDy: Hungary a right wing dictatorship. Not a country to try and be like.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 12:28 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: So what do you think happens to their ID during the flight? Just happens to fall down the jacks? If you arrive in the country with no ID, you should be put straight back on the plane. It’s not that complicated. Anyone destroying their passport obviously has something to hide and they have no place in this country. Anyone facilitating these individuals should also be treated as criminals as prosecuted accordingly. Their days are numbered.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 1:00 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: So the laws need to be changed, Eoin. What we have now isn’t working.

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 1:16 PM

    @GLxEnHDy: how do you put them on a plane with no ID? What plane do you put them on? Think of the actual logistics involved.

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 1:17 PM

    @GLxEnHDy: what laws would you change?

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 1:50 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: Again… look at Hungary or Poland etc. This stuff is not complicated. WTF are we paying taxes to a designated government for if they can’t even protect our borders? This stuff has never been an issue before the past decade or so. Look at who is making money from this and have a rethink. This is not going to end well for anybody, Irish or foreign. The concept of countries, borders and border controls are there for a reason. And they have been there for longer than you and I are alive. Watch this space if you are still confused by these basic concepts.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 1:53 PM

    @Gary Kearney: Are you in the 108 later, bro? I’ll chat to you about it there.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 2:50 PM

    @GLxEnHDy: hilarious, the wandering Poles complaining about immigration.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 2:53 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: @eoin fitzpatrick: The plane they arrived on. They show a passport to get on the plane. If they don’t have a passport whilst deboarding, they are obviously up to no good. Please feel free to retort if you can. Why would you support chancers like this coming into our country? Crazy! Read up on the recent rape in Mosney. The stabbings on Sth Anne street. Lads all had criminal records. Why on Earth would anyone want people like these in our country? Do you have an answer?7

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 3:23 PM

    @GLxEnHDy: so ryanair will take someone onto a plane with no ID and fly the entire plane back to where they came from? Do you have a realistic solution maybe?

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    Mute David Jordan
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    May 11th 2025, 3:25 PM

    @Great Eagle: Excluding Ukrainians under Temporary Protection, the proportion of immigrants (non-Irish citizens) in Ireland, who are of refugee or international protection backgrounds (including pending asylum seekers and recognised refugees), is estimated to be approximately 4% in 2024.

    Thus, over 95% of EU and non-EU immigrats to Ireland are legal visa holding legal migrants.

    Our population increased by nearly 50% on 30 years, half from births the other half due to immigration. Immigrants are roughly half from the EU and the other half are non-EU. Immigration increases when the economy booms, the highest figures were in 2007,eith 147,000 immigrants arriving.

    Also, our births collapsed, and more people die than are born, we’re below replacement since the early 1990s. The growth of our population has been sustained by immigration. If there wasn’t immigration, our population would decline.

    Summary: 95% of immigration is legal

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 3:29 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: airlines are now fined €5k per passenger if they arrive without documentation.

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    May 11th 2025, 4:37 PM

    @Finian McG: making sure that none of the tens of thousands of work-allergic Irish dole-suckers get access to these houses might make a lot more sense than excluding working people, regardless of race.
    Our problem isn’t immigrants workers, it’s the entitled cohort that expects to be fed, clothed, housed, and kept in beer and drugs by working people. Not to mention unlimited free legal aid when they are caught robbing from us on the double.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 4:49 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: Are you a bit dim? People should not be allowed into a country without a passport. What is so difficult for you to understand about this basic concept? Are you a man capable of looking after his family? Would you happily let strangers come into this country with zero proof of who they are or where they are from? You sound weak and very feeble minded, lad. Wake up. Be ready to protect the people you care about.

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 4:53 PM

    @John Mulligan: You’re not wrong, John. But how it help to import tens of thousands of foreigners and give them cash, food and homes? Will that help the problems you are speaking of? Maybe think about the issues being addressed here. Save your vitriol for dole hounds for a more appropriate article. Best of luck with it. Good lad

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 6:07 PM

    @GLxEnHDy: OK explain what you do with people who present themselves with no passport? We’ve already established you can’t put them back on the plane. What do you do with them?

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    Mute Seriously Really
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    May 11th 2025, 6:50 PM

    @GLxEnHDy: I wrote in response of an idiotic comment. Of course we need a decent policy regarding immigration. However, this doesn’t mean we reject all that seeks refuge in our country. But I’m sure you would like to.

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    Mute Seriously Really
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    May 11th 2025, 7:03 PM

    @DMA: I’m aware that many Irish people did immigrate and worked hard in other countries. I know for fact that the Irish was the back bone of America’s building industry. I also know that there were many Irish that were involved in illegal activities: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_mobsters_of_Irish_descent

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    Mute GLxEnHDy
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    May 11th 2025, 8:15 PM

    @Seriously Really: You are mistaken, Seriously Really. Even our poor excuses for politicians have said that over 80% of asylum seekers are not genuine. Do you honestly think that anyone genuinely fleeing for their lives just happen to end up in Ireland? Seriously? Really? Are you mentally challenged?

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    Mute Adam J
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    May 12th 2025, 7:30 AM

    @David Jordan: Births have collapsed because young couples are unable to establish a life for themselves with a house, etc, prices are ridiculous for them to afford, current government are complicit in allowing vulture funds make a generation of permanent renters, helping out their pockets and those of their landlord mates

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    Mute Tony
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    May 12th 2025, 1:36 PM

    @Finian McG: Totally dumb and won’t help the housing crisis. So in your mind everyone looking for a place to live is an illegal migrant?

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    Mute KTH
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    May 11th 2025, 7:06 AM

    The plans are ridiculous, trying to keep Dublin low rise just because that’s the way it was back in the day… we’re not back “in the day” it’s 2025…
    And people wonder why there’s a housing crisis!

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    Mute Athena
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    May 11th 2025, 8:54 AM

    @KTH: It has worked in the past. We actually lived “near” that area, just on the Tolka, lovely area with lots of green space, one could walk along the river all the way to the Observatory.
    Then they started building apartments, 7-8 storeys high, which was when we left for the countryside.
    “Solving” one problem can generate another. This isn’t living, this creating residential ghettos.

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    Mute Shane O Neill
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    May 11th 2025, 10:57 AM

    @Athena: you didn’t say what problem they created

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    May 11th 2025, 12:20 PM

    @Shane O Neill: creating a residential ghetto is the problem. A totally soulless place now.

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 12:30 PM

    @KTH: Nothing to do with “back in the day”.

    It is actually extremely bad and toxic practice for Mental Health and Wellbeing of a City Population to wipe out the Sun from reaching all the way down to the street level, let alone wiping it out from entering multiple residential units, by towering and overshadowing urban Residential, AND Work, Units with High Rises.

    Even in far sunnier Climates than Ireland, with far broader roads and pavements between the High Rises, such overshadowing and blocking of sunlight had significant impacts on Mental Wellbeing, increased insomnia, and even decreased Vitamin D levels.

    Ireland is already in a naturally occurring deficit and disadvantage when it comes to BOTH Mental Wellness and [mental-health-related] Vitamin D – due to its Northerly Latitude (and the denial, once again, of Omega-rich and Vitamin-D-rich *Wild* Salmon to the indigenous population).

    The very very last thing Ireland should be doing is increasing towering structural densities in a city of Medieval sized tarmacked dirt roads and laneways.
    Because that’s all they are!
    Narrow medieval-sized streets no other Nation would ever call a “road”.

    It’s time to decommission Dublin from any further “Development”.

    Foster what it has, restore history and heritage, look to a future of calling it “The Old City”, leave it to both National (school history tours) and International Tourism and let it keep its unique City culture as is.

    Let the other Urban Centres and Cities – like Galway, Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny – take on **properly designed** expansion and development of their Cities. Cities capable of casting out “satellites” of urban settlement outside the city for the city to grow out into. Cities capable of accomodating new Commercial and Residential High Rise – with far broader Roadways and Pavements between structures.

    Just a little FYI here – NOBODY should be modelling their Nation’s Urban developments nor Capital City development on London!!!
    Or Paris.
    That would be properly insane!!

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    Mute John Moore
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    May 12th 2025, 1:32 AM

    @Pink Freud: What a long waffle. People have nowhere to live. That is a much bigger problem than anything you have listed right there.

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    Mute Tony
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    May 12th 2025, 1:38 PM

    @Athena: So you’re a NIMBY ? Hopefully you’ve no neighbours in the country to annoy you so. Gowl

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    Mute Derek mac an ucaire
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    May 11th 2025, 8:13 AM

    Building the Ballymun of tomorrow
    Especially if they will be in private ownership only build to rent,
    Back to tenement days,
    And what happens when you are too old to work to pay your rent and you don’t own your own house.
    As much of a struggle paying a mortgage at least you might have it paid off by the time you can’t work

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    Mute Gavin Byrne
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    May 11th 2025, 8:19 AM

    @Derek mac an ucaire: give your head a shake , building up is the only option

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    Mute Athena
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    May 11th 2025, 8:56 AM

    @Gavin Byrne: And yet, you are probably against intensive farming…

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 12:45 PM

    @Gavin Byrne: No. Up is not the only option.

    The whole of Ireland belongs to ALL of the Irish, no matter what County they come from. Yet every other County in Ireland is hostile to Dubliners parachuting in to live in their Town, County, or even City.

    With a population now of 5 Million.
    Plus transient residents from 1-5year Work Visas or Tourists or 1 year contracted EU workers, 3-4year International Students etc.
    Dublin now hosts a *permanent* TWO FIFTHS of the National Population – and that doesn’t really include Dublin’s extensive transient residents as previously mentioned, as the Census isn’t necessarily done in high tourist season and/or the height of Student Season.
    TWO-FIFTHS!!!
    That is wrong on every level.
    That is extremely unfair.
    And ALL these other Counties have the BRASS NECK to complain about taking in a handful of Asylum Seekers, on a highly temporary basis (until the far fewer legitimates can be deciphered away from the fraudulent claims).

    And honestly, if there is anything Rural Ireland is (or was) good at, it was being civil to all, AND finding out everyone’s business.

    What an asset we might have had, using our collective musical ears to hear the English, Scottish, or FRENCH accents in those who were *suddenly* facilitated to flood into Ireland **for political and subversive reasons!!!**

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    Mute Athena
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    May 11th 2025, 7:14 PM

    @Pink Freud: Can you quantify “a handful”? Should it be 5%,10%,20% of the population or more?

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    Mute Adam J
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    May 12th 2025, 7:35 AM

    @Derek mac an ucaire: Yep, they tore down the Ballymun towers and now they want to return to huge high rise buildings, you’ll notice that only certain areas are earmarked for them too, can’t be building in Foxrock or Dalkey or Bono’s wife will be on the phone giving out about it, spineless planning section

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    Mute sam o brien
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    May 11th 2025, 8:25 AM

    It needs 100%council housing…not 90%private 10%social……..affordable rent all builds .

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    Mute Paddy C
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    May 11th 2025, 11:11 AM

    @sam o brien: also not to sell the council houses at any point thereby depleting the stock that’s there for generations coming up or in our case entering the country get more priority suppose.

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 1:08 PM

    @Paddy C: Agreed.
    Except for the Council Houses that pre-date the mixed residential development quotas. Meaning: the Council Houses that are in an exclusively Council Housing ONLY Council Estate. There should be far larger quotas of thos Council Houses sold into the Private Ownership/Affordable Homes sector. Sort of a reverse version of mixed development quotas – in order to achieve the same social neutralisation of “difference”, strengthening of Community Unity, and/or dissolving of hostility and/or sense of supremacy OR inferiority between “haves and have nots”/different socio-economic groups.

    Also, ppl need to start collectively suing Developer, Council, and State for permitting the newer developments of *Socio-Economic APARTHEID** Apartment Blocks. Where ALL the Council tenants are *herded* into 1 block and socially isolated from the Private Residential blocks within a complex. This is a VERY British, and London, style of Development where, in some buildings, you even have “the poor man’s door” ffs! Wherein, IF Council Tenants are within the same block as Private Tenants/Owners, they are corralled in and out of the building through separate (economic apartheid!) doors . . . .lest a LV handbag brush off of a Penny’s handbag.

    Not agreed that Australians, Americans, Europeans and other Internationals entering the Country get some sort of Housing Priority. Far from it! And, more importantly, far further from the pertinent issues obstructing Housing in general. A pathetic and obstructive stupid distraction topic that prevents us ALL from getting on with relevant discourse on Housing and getting ANYTHING DONE about Housing.

    I’d rather see everyone STFU about who gets a house, and start doing more about building the feckin’ Houses!!!
    If you build enough for everyone, then we don’t have to waste precious time yabberin’ on who gets what while Dublin runs out of feckin’ WATER ffs, and steals Water from multiple Counties in the West of Ireland!! (for example)

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 3:03 PM

    @Pink Freud: I know of one such development in Ballsbridge where one building is exclusively social housing. I cannot remember the exact figure, but the management fee for a two-bed in the privately owned blocks is roughly €8.5k annually. Who do you think should pay for the tenants in the social housing to be afforded the same extras as these owners/tenants.

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 3:32 PM

    @JoeJoe Kilbride: What “extras”? There should not be ANY private “extras” in any development. Is the point. Are you saying you know people who are stupid enough to pay €8,000 for access to a green area for their kids to play on? Or for a pavement to walk on? Or for a line of paint on tarmac to park their car!? Or maybe it’s for roadside/”street” lighting? Or for the *public* water supply? Or the *public* Sewer infrastructure?

    Where did these idiots grow up!?
    Do they not know how a normal *Irish* Housing Estate, or Complex, works!?
    This is NOT Apartheid America nor Apartheid Britland.

    Tis you who are the bigger eegit!

    Why, ON EARTH, would any DOPE pay BOTH Taxation AND “Management Fees”?
    Positively imbecilic.

    Taxation – seized from the Crown for ALL of Irish Civil Society – IS FOR all such infrastructure in every Residential Development, and every single Citizen.
    End of story.

    Ya don’t like it?
    Eff off to England!

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    Mute AnthonyK
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    May 11th 2025, 9:01 AM

    The entire character of that area will change with this new town being plopped inside the industrial estate. The road into and out of that area is a shock a block most of the time. You have traffic coming up from phibsboro in the evenings and down from Finglas in the mornings. It will be bedlam. And can the local schools absolve the influx?

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 11th 2025, 10:34 AM

    @AnthonyK: people living that close to city centre are less likely to drive. Something like 85% of people living in the inner city don’t own cars.

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    Mute Joe Beirne
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    May 11th 2025, 10:53 AM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: Is that right, where you pull them figures from? I’m from closer to the city centre than this new town and I can tell you almost every household had a car

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    Mute Shane O Neill
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    May 11th 2025, 11:08 AM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: this is not the inner city. It’s an inner suburb.

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    May 11th 2025, 12:25 PM

    @AnthonyK: I love it as they say the new Luas line and Train service will take the people into the city. They are already full!

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 1:20 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: Yeh. But they should do more. They should prohibit provision of Car Parking in the Planning Approval for such developments. Anything new inside the M50 shouldn’t get parking spaces.
    Switch to Storage spaces instead, within apartment complexes.
    AND provide rooftop garden plots. And/or a floor of indoor vertical aquaponic farming – either a unit of free food growing per apartment, OR a farm business supplying local retailers …but with preferential discounts (or freebies) for Residents to buy, fresh, directly from the farm floor 24/7.

    That said. Even if people don’t use cars within the City. People are going to want to use cars to travel home to other Counties on weekends of Christmases and the like. So IF you were gonna exclude parking from developments inside the M50, you would probably have to create long-term carparking facilities at or near the M50 for City Residents to keep a car for infrequent or weekly or monthly long distance travel outside the County.

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    May 12th 2025, 7:37 AM

    @Pink Freud: agreed

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    Mute Derek mac an ucaire
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    May 11th 2025, 9:07 AM

    @ gavin Byrne till the lifts don’t work and the lights on the public areas don’t work and anyone who can afford to live else where move out
    big high rise rent only will be disaster in the future especially in this country which has been proven by what happened to the wonderful ballymun when high rise living was pushed as the future back in the 60s cop on

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    Mute Nick Vasilakis
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    May 11th 2025, 9:35 AM

    @Derek mac an ucaire: Why should it be that Ireland is the only country in Europe where people are unable to live in high-rises without turning them into slums?

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    May 11th 2025, 12:26 PM

    @Nick Vasilakis: Not true, hi rise buildings in a lot of countries are slums!

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 1:29 PM

    @Nick Vasilakis: I dunno what EU Nations you are looking at, but both London and Paris are absolute KIPS!!!

    There is no necessity whatsoever for Ireland to go High Rise yet. No need AT ALL!!
    Dublin currently hosts nearly TWO FIFTHS of the entire National Population.
    That is UNHEARD OF IN EUROPE!!!
    While other Cities in Ireland have the brass neck to teeter on or below the 100,000 population mark ffs.
    It’s outrageous!!

    It’s high time we put a STOP to any further Housing or Commercial Developments in Dublin.
    End of story.
    Start carefully and thoughtfully designing Commercial (jobs) and Residential (employees) **21st Century** urban expansion in Cork, Waterford, Galway, Kilkenny, and Limerick.

    Afterall, they do deign to call themselves … “Cities”.

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    Mute bruce banner
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    May 11th 2025, 8:36 AM

    Need lots of them in howth and blackrock.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 9:39 AM

    @bruce banner: they are already in Howth and it’s shocking the apartment blocks were allowed planning they’re so dark and overbearing

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    Mute Pauline Cahill
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    May 11th 2025, 9:20 AM

    Would they be built for the Ukraines because the Irish are forgotten

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    Mute Alan
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    May 11th 2025, 9:38 AM

    @Pauline Cahill: horse shit

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    May 11th 2025, 12:28 PM

    @Pauline Cahill: Sure have a go at people who fled from war and lost everything and may have nothing to go back to.
    That is a very sad mindset.

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    Mute barry lyons
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    May 11th 2025, 9:39 AM

    Stop illegal immigration. Don’t let developers do what they wan, it will only end in disaster and slums

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 3:22 PM

    @barry lyons: How do you sheeple still not get it!?

    **LEGAL MIGRATION** was stalking the Rental Market and skyrocketing prices back in 2014 ffs! Google Staff get Housing Supplements to their already insane Salaries AND Bonuses AND Shares in Alphabet. And they are far from the only ones that get Housing Subsidies from their Employer!!! Because they could throw around inordinate lumps of cash to traitorous greedy Irish Landlords, indigenous Tenants were thrown under the bus left, right, and centre. Tossed out of Rentals, despite being a damn decent Tenant, solely for soleless Profit. The Culture of Community has been utterly GUTTED out of Dublin and Dublin Suburb Villages (like, for example, Rathmines). And consequently, the Culture of Dublin itself has been gutted out by the *Legal* Migration that Services these Digital Giants.

    That was the start of escalation of extortionate Rents across the whole island.

    And furthermore, Google et al, do this in EVERY City and Nation they set up a major office in. Their Subsidies push out the indigenous Tenant by artificially altering the local Rental Market.

    Also cannot understand how you sheeple still don’t get what is going on with the mass Trafficking:-

    OCGs, AND Political “special interests”, Trafficked/Facilitated semi-settled but impoverished migrants from France and England into Ireland.

    In order to increase demands for both mass Catering. And Construction/Housing.

    So that BOTH “Political special interests” AND Criminal Gangs/Launderers/Fraudsters etc could reap the benefits of Government Contracts in both Housing AND Catering Services amidst the consternation and confusion.

    They also, further, hired foreign entities to incite the likes of YOU to cause even MORE consternation, civil unrest, civil disorder, AND RIOT, so that they could continue to profit from the consternation and confusion.

    And for the Political “special interests”, it was about far more than profit. It was about stealing votes from the rising of actual Nationalist AND actual Working Class Sinn Féin while simultaneously *buying votes from easily led bull-headed gobsheens* like yerself, so they could secure their Golden Parachutes in perpetuity, in addition to profiting from their Catering and Construction **Shell Companies!!!** (Which, btw, they DON’T have to declare to the Dáil!!)

    Not t mention, let’s not forget, Ireland never actually cleaned up our historic Local Councillor and TD-related Construction-corruption.

    Hotels are likely not “in on it”, per se. But after the Pandemic, I really can’t fault them, nor should anyone fault them, for taking an opportunity to recoup losses *and* potentially gain profits in order to facilitate refurbishments for when they do return to the Tourist market.

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    Mute Athena
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    May 11th 2025, 7:17 PM

    @Pink Freud: Thank you for mentioning the elephant in the room.

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    Mute Mitchell
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    May 11th 2025, 7:24 AM

    The council planning departments need to come into the 21st century. The government’s build a home on your land for relatives has yet to make it to the planning depts. no chance of solving the housing crisis without developing everywhere.

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    Mute Basildon Joe
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    May 11th 2025, 7:10 AM

    We need to get high high high!!! Then higher still!!

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    Mute Basildon Joe
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    May 11th 2025, 1:36 PM

    @TEc1XNcQ: maybe get a job you waste of space. On here with your tall stories and feeding the homeless! Lance lunatic!!

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    Mute Basildon Joe
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    May 11th 2025, 1:44 PM

    @john doe: careful with that Lance guy he is one of the most deranged commentators here. His stories are pretty messed up.

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 3:58 PM

    @Basildon Joe: The only thing that needs to “go higher and higher” is layering the *Transport* infrastructure high over the surface.

    I will never understand this ignorant dopey fixed mindset that trains or trams *MUST* run on the road surface. Or, failing that, they *MUST* go underground.

    10,000 years of archeological artefacts of our own indigenous history buried under roads and lands aside — why on earth are we so averse to *raising* all future Metros/Trams!? Especially in crammed Dublin City!

    That said.
    A far easier infrastructural task would be elevating *cycle tracks!!!*
    Why O WHY do we continue to insist on putting cyclists into what is on many roads a tiny narrow strip, a ribbon, of a cycle “lane” – side-by-side with friggen buses!!?

    Absolutely mental!

    Not that I’m against Cycle Lanes.
    Wherever, and whenever, they fit and there IS actual room for them between the *immovable* Housing and Commercial Structures either side of narrow old roads with already narrow Pavements for Pedestrians!!! But we don’t live in a post-WW2 Flattened and Re-built FROM SCRATCH in the 1940s Central European City!!! We live in a Viking Settled then British Occupied City with underdeveloped medieval …”roads?” that have simply been covered over in tarmac or concrete, repeatedly, since the 1930s (or thereabouts?).

    I mean we could vault cycle lane infrastructure from pre-existing street lighting, for example. Just because it has never been done (yet), doesn’t mean it couldn’t be done now. Two comfortable sized cycle lanes over the road median, supported by beams tethered with the street lights on the pavement, would neither obstruct daytime natural light nor nighttime street lighting for Pedestrians or Drivers on the ground. And would give cyclists optimum safety and off-road freedom (within obvious bounds of necessity to “keep left” of oncoming bikes, and follow normal protocols for right turning – crossing the path of oncoming cyclist at a crossroad junction [albeit elevated and off-road]).

    I mean we already have elevated pedestrian bridges that intersect dual carriageways.
    No reason why we couldn’t run elevated cycle lanes in parallel with roadways. AND provide tight spiralled “off-ramps” to pavement/road surface into suburban villages, industrial estates, hospitals and other major employment centres and school locations wherein most final destinations are “walking distance” but still have their far less safe “ribbons” of cycle lanes for use, if necessary.

    Truly. No reason why we couldn’t elevate at least 2 sectors transport.

    Plenty of cities *DO* have raised tramlines/rail lines.

    Oh yeah – INCLUDING DUBLIN!!
    Rail bridges.
    AND Dundrum Luas bridge.

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    Mute Basildon Joe
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    May 11th 2025, 5:17 PM

    @Pink Freud: this is a good idea im theory but all of the raised bridges will result in Dublin being in darkness below, which will make it too dangerous. Also the homeless population will explode and live under these raised bridges. No we need to go underground like the London tube system, state of the art!!!

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    Mute Joseph Lenihan
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    May 11th 2025, 11:18 AM

    We should remember the disaster that was Ballymun and similar developments in the UK. Parents on the 20th floor who cannot let kids out to play. “High rise blues” and suicides. It’s interesting that the people who advocate high rise never plan to live in high rise themselves.

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 2:43 PM

    @Joseph Lenihan: Yah. What is it British Police refer to them as? “Rabbit Warrens”, if I’m not mistaken? Complexes with such a multitude of stairs, hallways, front doors, entrances, exits, and throughways in which any little scrot can *permanently* disappear from a cops field of vision, during an foot pursuit, in a split second.

    And it’s far worse in Ireland with these daft notions of “Management Companies” and the Privatisation of Housing Estate Roads, Apartment Complex’s Grounds, Car Parks, and of course inner hallways!! They are NOT public access points and therefore, technically, do require a warrant for Gardaí to enter any part of them. So how do you chase a thief or surveil a suspect, without warrant or request thus potentially tipping off a corrupt or OCG-owned Management Company or a Management Company that gives certain families within the complex *wealth privilege* preferential treatment, and therefore inform the resident under surveillance that they are being surveilled!!?
    Utterly ludicrous.
    If this was the craic going on in yeer apartment complexes in Bulgaria, there would be uproar!!
    Oh wait. It is. Or, was. Which is why nobody owns apartments in corrupt Bulgaria with its corrupt Management Companies, anymore.

    One would think the Gardaí, as a sizeable “voting” block on social, crime, & policing issues, would be up in arms about such potential developments.

    Not to mention the inordinate stairs climbing for Paramedics if/when Lifts break down.

    AND the stairs climbing for Fire Fighters – because ya don’t use lifts during a fire, ever.
    And that’s before we even get to – “…does anyone have a ladder AND a hose that can reach the rooftop of a 10 storey, let alone a 40 storey, apartment complex!?”

    Oh, there’s supposed to be hydrants within the building, is there? Oh really? Yeah. Best of luck with that! Especially since we can’t even HOUSE enough Fire Fighters within the city to service ALL the structures, let alone the high rise high density structures, not to mention the population head count.
    What good are yeer hydrants without the manpower (and lack of woman power ;-P ) behind them!?

    What even is the “Golden Ratio” of Fire Fighters AND Equipment to Population AND Structures!?
    I mean has feckin’ ANYONE stopped for half a second to even consider it!?

    Hell, even the INMO and the IMO are derelict in *their* duties of representation. Neither have EVER published the Golden Ratio requirement of their qualified Human Resources (Drs and Nurses) to Population head count.
    Never.
    That INMO may as well be the HSE. You don’t have to be a nurse to feel the lackluster excuse for “representation” from it.
    Even as a would-be patient, their lack of firm and forceful representation would give you “da willies”. The INMO, through feckless focus on pay in tandem with failure to prioritise increasing clinical human resources (more flippin’ nurses ffs!), fosters *distrust* in the capabilities of the entire Health Service to match and meet the Population head count.

    I mean where are their published ratios on *fixed and established* percentages within populations likely to be born with, and/or develop, specific diseases requiring X amount of Services throughout the lifespan, on Y amount of frequency, over Z number of years, at current population head count BUT ALSO alongside projected population expansion and related consequential demands!?
    I mean even that much is more predictable than A&E admissions – which can, as is now somewhat apparent, fluctuate with external Social Order/Disorder (levels of pandemic pro-social disposition vs post-pandemic increased discontent and aggression in the population).
    Just side note: historically, major calamitous yet status nullifying/social equalising events like Pandemic (especially with over a certain % fatality) do tend to induce Wars and Revolutions. So Government and Public Institutions did fail to predict widespread public discontent *and* take pertinent pro-active preventative measures with resources (like Housing).
    Also historically, calamitous events – especially health related ones – tend to induce radical innovation and giant leaps forward in Societal Developmental and Progress (like liberating Hospital Laboratories, and Nurses from tedious time-consuming non-patient-interpersonal jobs through Tech’ assistance. Eg: Clinical Drones transporting Samples from Hospital Bedside to Labs AND it’s onboard AI System filling out the pertinent paperwork and uploading it onto the system. OR digital patient devices feeding to remote digital monitoring of multiple ward patients’ stats at the Nurses Station or some such).

    That said.
    Also.
    Nor have Gardaí published a “Golden Ratio” of “Policing” to Population in other jurisdictions, or an International average, let alone their *unarmed and NOT a police force* organisation – who should not be modelled on the low head count, *British* toxic micro-managed Policing Service. When they are, or were always, fundamentally culturally different. A Community-centric, Community-led, Community-engaged, mostly easy going, keepers of Civil Peace NOT inciters of Riot and Public Disorder through aggressive (and micro-management-frustrated) attitudes and dispositions.

    If we’re gonna have an unarmed service, then we *have to have* a far higher ratio of Gardaí to head of population.

    And if we are determined to excessively increase Population Density in Dublin only, then every other County needs to STFU about the number of Gardaí they don’t have.

    You want more Gards?
    Then supply more Homes in your County!!!

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    Mute Stevo
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    May 11th 2025, 9:24 AM

    And inside 1 in 10 of these, Blocks,high rise apartments,apart hotels,private moneymakers would need a Doctor’s surgery and a crèche because even without them at the moment we have a critical lack of services!!!

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    Mute DianeRyanONeill
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    May 11th 2025, 8:30 AM

    What a terrible, terrible name. Who do these people think they are?

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    Mute Athena
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    May 11th 2025, 8:58 AM

    @DianeRyanONeill: Ballyboggan? How’s that a terrible name? Ballyboggan road runs from the Phibsboro road to Ashtown and beyond.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 9:37 AM

    @DianeRyanONeill: that’s the existing name. Would you prefer some new pretentious name with no link to the area?

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    Mute Shane O Neill
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    May 11th 2025, 11:06 AM

    @DianeRyanONeill: it is a terrible name. Places in Dublin that start with Bally include Ballyfermot, Ballymun, Ballybough, which all have problems with how they’re perceived.

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    Mute Mick Hennessy
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    May 11th 2025, 1:23 PM

    @Shane O Neill: Ballymount, Ballyboden, Ballyroan just off the top of my head.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 1:28 PM

    @Shane O Neill: you sound like an insufferable snob. How about Ballyboden, you have a problem with it too?

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 1:36 PM

    @DianeRyanONeill: Agreed. There should be Legislation brought in prohibiting ALL subsequent Developments from using English names. It’s the least that could be done while we fail to restore the indigenous place names to Parishes, Suburban Villages, Roads, Laneways, and modern 1920s-2020s developments like Workman’s Housing Clusters, Housing Estates and Tower Blocks.

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    Mute AnthonyK
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    May 11th 2025, 10:51 AM

    @Eoin Fitzpatrick@ Sorry Eoin, but I grew up in that area. Every house where I grew up has at least two cars. One of which is the mammy’s SUV for getting her kids to and from school on the Old Finglas Road. That new town will also have a lot of vehicles, and mainly electric, which are, let’s face it, huge cars. The area will be a disaster.

    Your stat about the inner city, I grew up there too, in flats, and used to play in Ganleys, now a petrol station on the quays. A lot of people have cars or need cars for work because, while they live in the inner city, they work outside of it. Not everywhere can be got to by public transport.

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    Mute Johnny Johnny
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    May 11th 2025, 9:04 AM

    Ballyboggan/Dublin Industrial Estate is 5km from Dublin City Centre, not 3km.

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    Mute Shane O Neill
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    May 11th 2025, 11:00 AM

    @Johnny Johnny: I just checked the Google map directions from Mountjoy Square, where I am now, to the middle of Dublin industrial estate and it’s 3.4 km walking.

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    Mute Johnny Johnny
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    May 11th 2025, 11:39 AM

    @Shane O Neill: nice try but Mountjoy Square would be the edge of the city. Not the centre of the city as article stated.

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    Mute Shane O Neill
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    May 11th 2025, 1:07 PM

    @Johnny Johnny: You just measured the distance to O’Connell Bridge or something and rounded up to 5km. You’re just deceiving yourself; everyone else knows that the city center includes Mountjoy Square, and even beyond that.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 1:42 PM

    @Shane O Neill: you cannot pick a random spot, decide to measure from there and expect to be taken seriously. The GPO is the official base point for distances to/from the city and all distances on road signs to Dublin are measured to the front door of the building. Mountjoy Square Park is 1k from the GPO.

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 1:42 PM

    @Johnny Johnny: The “City Centre” stretches as far as the Clock Tower in Rathmines ffs. The literal border line of “The Pale”, beyond which the “highly dangerous natives” resided.

    Although, possibly some might choose to argue that the post-Colonial-era *”inner”* city lies within the North and South Circular Roads ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯
    But I mean …jaysus like… that’s really nit-pickin’ when ya look at the distance between middle of Rathmines and the end of Richmond ffs ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯ You can hear the Barracks Siren of a Friday Afternoon from far further afield!

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    May 11th 2025, 10:51 AM

    Who was it that suggested to move the port? Thats a great idea imo, and could solve our problem of way too many trucks and lorries on the roads, move it closer to train-line, somewhere with sorting resources, etc. the vacated space a wonderful spot to put down a load of buildings, big small whatever you like, easily be plugged into existing infrastructure etc… but we’re not into ideas or solutions eh? We like our problems so much that we keep them alive forever.

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    May 11th 2025, 12:32 PM

    @Thesaltyurchin: There are train lines that run directly to Dublin Port and there is another that is very close to the port.

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 2:56 PM

    @Thesaltyurchin: It is what it is now. ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯ But…

    No harm in developing a Cork-Waterford “Port”. Rather than the Wexico Port. Wexico is an extremely toxic, nasty, and mean spirited un-Irish neo-Loyalist County now. They shouldn’t get anything. We should rescind the proposed development of the Wexico Ferry Port and gift it to a Waterford-Cork multi-port, rail, and urban housing development that unifies both cities via the infrastructure and Suburban expansion towards each other, while simultaneously becoming the home of Ireland’s Brexit-bypass “Eurotunnel” bridge to the Continent for Cargo, [non-flight] Commuters, and Tourists.

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    Mute Paddy C
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    May 11th 2025, 11:07 AM

    Makes no odds if more enter the country may aswel quadruple it.

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    Mute Joseph Lenihan
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    May 11th 2025, 11:19 AM

    Lifts that are frequently out of order

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    Mute barry lyons
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    May 11th 2025, 9:42 AM
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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 11:48 AM

    Yes, Paul, we ARE in a Housing Crisis.

    But we have also been in a Population Crisis since LONG BEFORE the last Census, let alone before the Racists got their orders from Loyalists, the EDL, and Bannon-Orban-Trumpians to subvert the Civil Peace and Civil Order.

    Our Population, regardless of who constitutes it, unnaturally (by slow steady birth order of resident population vs mass return of Irish immigrants plus inflow of Humanity fleeing Wars) jumped to 5 Million **WITHOUT ANY** associated 16th, let alone 21st, Century level of Design and pre-Planning of the Urban Landscape, it’s physical infrastructure, it’s projected Civil Engineering requirements (eg: WATER, ffs! Sanitation, ffs!), it’s Human Resources infrastructure (Fire, Paramedic, Drs, Nurses, Hospital Beds, Policing, Teachers, Social Workers etc) as a pertinent Ratio to both Population and Structural increases AND density and so on.

    So let’s cut the cr@p talk from the **business** oriented, and business-serving, journo. This is a wholly non-Commerce topic that should be solely in the hands of the Humanities and Urban Designers.

    Even the earliest Psychologists (and, indeed, earliest Philosophers) deduced that Housing was among the top 3 core basic Human Needs, and therefore the top 2 core basic Needs of a *Civil Society!!*
    The first 2 being Water. Then Food.

    It is HIGH TIME that Cork, Galway, Waterford, Kilkenny, and even Limerick started pulling their weight. The vast majority of **FAR LARGER** European Cities with FAR LARGER National Landmass, and far FAR better Urban Design with broader roadways and stepped back structures and massive green areas and far superior Designing OUT Crime, and far far better Social Support Systems — DO NOT have the same Population Density as Dublin. Few have 2million Residents in their Capital, most have under 1.5 or barely scraping 1 Million.

    Cork. FG F-ing Sake. Has a measly population of WELL UNDER 200,000. It’s pathetic!!
    And the rest don’t even have a population size worth mentioning. Yet they ALL deign to call themselves “City”.

    Enough is Enough!!
    Dublin is not the natural Capital of Ireland anyway! It is a Capital by Colonial design or convenience only – nearest to Britland, and a sheltered/non-sea-exposed, weather-quiet (vs Atlantic), port for the Norwegian/Viking Occupation and Occupier Settlement Forces.

    Who’s to say that without Occupation our Capital would not have become a non-port, inland settlement!? Like Longford-Cavan merging into 1 giant urban expanse!? Or Cork-Waterford – as a port city to friendlier France and Spain. Or Meath, with Tara at its centre.

    Well, regardless, either way. It is long past time to SHUT DOWN ALL further Housing, and Commercial, Development in Dublin.
    And time for the other so-called “Cities” of Ireland to step up and increase their Commerce, Housing, and Population from the National Stock of Population (and Commerce) hyper-concentrated in Dublin…and surrounding Counties that think they are part of Dublin (Kildare, Wicklow, Meath).

    Time for Dublin to start *Zoning a Quota* of Housing Stock in every residential area, cluster, and estate, FOR direct supply to the Golden Ratio Quota of Key Workers (nurses, doctors, teachers, Gards, Fire, Ambo etc) to Population size – both new Private Ownerships of houses in Council Estates (a reverse application of the Private-to-PublicHousing ratio in new development quotas) to also Zoning out “next sale” Houses in Foxrock, Terenure, Raheny, Kilbarrack, Clontarf, Howth, Portmarnock etc for core City Workers. Everywhere and anywhere there is Private Residential.

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    May 11th 2025, 4:01 PM

    @Pink Freud: …top ** 3 ** core basic needs of a Civil Society… (not 2)

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    Mute R. Gantly
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    May 11th 2025, 11:04 AM

    I would imagine that , as is the norm, developers will apply for changes to plans with unit increases to match likely demand for same. This area has seen huge developments especially in Cabra/Finglas right behind this very site. Those blocks rise to 14 floors and look amazing. Adding 5 to 6 thousand extra commuters daily to this artery isn’t a major issue either as the various service providers can easily upscale frequency on the public transport routes concerned. Now all that has to be established is whether vultures buy them all out first and shaft renters into eternity

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 1:54 PM

    @R. Gantly: I doubt you’re living in the area if you think these new developments haven’t already adversely affected public transport.

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    Mute Athena
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    May 11th 2025, 7:19 PM

    @JoeJoe Kilbride: I am hoping he’s holding up his sarcasm sign…

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    Mute Be Lucky
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    May 11th 2025, 9:49 AM

    We don’t need this

    1st set no planning if choose one of 3 types of design any property can put a studio to 1 bed flats in their garden, covenant attached to deeds rent can only x the minimum wage.

    2nd, all property with rear lanes can build mews style flats or houses for sale or rent again with covenants rent or sale price can only be x the min wage.

    3rd all new builds must have basements, with turn key basement rental units or the provision for the home owner to turn into again with covenants attached rent can only be x the min wage.

    This would solve our housing shortage more or less instantly and wound provide the economy with more disposable income.

    There 150 k odd houses in Dublin, that’s a huge potential of new homes without taking up more land and more sprawl.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 1:50 PM

    @Be Lucky: due to geology and rainfall Ireland has a much higher groundwater table than most of Europe. There’s a reason basements aren’t commonplace and I don’t even know where to start with your other equally simplistic solutions.

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    Mute Be Lucky
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    May 11th 2025, 3:13 PM

    @JoeJoe Kilbride: it could be above ground basement.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 11th 2025, 3:18 PM

    @Be Lucky: then it wouldn’t be a basement, it would be ground floor…

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    Mute BarryH
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    May 11th 2025, 11:24 PM

    So what you are basically saying is, cram as many people as possible into as small a space as possible so you can achieve your economic goals.
    Tae a walk around Dublin and you will see Apartments, less than 15 years old. already in need of serious maintenance work. We all saw what happened with Ballymun Flats and many, many of the flats around Dublin City Centre. Yes they are a lot older but basic maintenance is rarely carried out. We all know how property developers ignored building regs and they too will have to be repaired sooner rather than later. In the next ten years, we will have to start rehousing those people now living in decaying apartments. and that is leaving aside any discussion on infrastructure.
    If younger people want a better future in Ireland, they will have to move down the country, where the Govt or they themselves can afford their dreams. The parents may be happy enough to try and hold out for a house in Dublin but can their children’s futures afford the wait and the cramped conditions of high-rise Apartments

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    Mute The Dog
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    May 11th 2025, 4:07 PM

    Dublin once again . This country should be called Dublin not Ireland

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    Mute Ailbhe MacThomais
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    May 11th 2025, 9:59 PM

    Cresting new high rise ballymuns in the making that failed the people and society to suit the vulture funds friends of the political establishment parties

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    Mute William Kelly
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    May 11th 2025, 12:12 PM

    Agree that higher density should be achievable, and also ensure social and recreational provision. The site is capable of higher blocks, spread out in the development.

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    Mute john o connor
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    May 12th 2025, 8:19 AM

    Check out oscar traynor woods 27 houses to Hectare. With lovely parks.

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    Mute Owen Merne
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    May 11th 2025, 7:33 PM

    Your not allowed, you’ll be ruining the character of the city..The planning commission, what a load of idiots, they don’t mind the building of hotels and the closing of cultural places..that were the character of the city…just faceless corporate Hotels everywhere…milking tourists for all there worth, that will leave a great impression.

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