The Taoiseach exhibited some appreciation of Dublin's growing gridlock last week when he became something of a constituency salesman, extolling the charms of Dublin Central.

The occasion was the official opening of Statoil's new offices in the International Financial Services Centre. Mr Ahern pointed out that the area where the IFSC is situated was the old stomping ground of the city's most famous street seller - one Molly Malone - and was now the home of some of the most impressive commercial developments in the State.

But the main attraction of Dublin Central, he confided, was that "living around here you don't need to worry about the traffic". Pity the same can't be said for Dublin's other streets, broad and narrow.