Sir, – Una Mullally is to be commended for highlighting that Dublin City Council’s chief executive Owen Keegan’s term is due to end in September 2023 (“Why has street life in Dublin city become so depressed?”, Opinion & Analysis, October 24th). What Dublin city desperately needs with regards to his successor is a directly elected mayor and not another appointee. How else can we even begin to address the scarcity (as well as the unaffordability) of housing, the poor urban design and the other issues Una Mullally highlights? To date, no chief executive has had to defend their record in office on doorsteps or explain to Dublin residents why they are the best person for the role. Perhaps the current state of Dublin city (including the woeful thoroughfare of O’Connell street) is a result of same? – Yours, etc,
OWEN O’LOUGHLIN,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.