Madam, – May I commend you on the excellent case study of Dunleer, Co Louth (“Sustainable planning is cure for growth delusion”, Opinion, July 19th)?
This cameo of how one dedicated individual (Gerry Crilly) acted conscientiously to save at least one town from the ravages of development-led planning offers, simultaneously, is cause for deep despair that the building frenzy which has mortgaged the future of our young people for a generation ahead could have progressed so far and so fatally throughout the island; but also cause for hope that a community champion in a small town can still make a difference for the better.
Psychologists tell us that the five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The NIRSA (National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis) Report of last week, ably articulated by Prof Rob Kitchen, provides the riposte to the first of these stages. With 620 “ghost estates” and a national house vacancy rate of 15 per cent, it is clear that anger is well justified by taxpayers and parents at such a waste of national resources. It is unfortunate that this anger was not constructively directed over the past decade at the perpetrators of this calumny, rather than at individuals such as Gerry Crilly and organisations like An Taisce who cried “stop” only to be demonised for their efforts.
The bargaining, depression and acceptance phases will last a long time now. But the damage is done and we must also face another consequence.
The genesis of these ill-located housing units means that, even if they become occupied eventually they will most likely not be served by public transport for the foreseeable future. This will further increase car dependency and thus increase our national greenhouse gas emissions substantially.
This will eventually produce a further financial burden for those who come after us in seeking to meet our international obligations under the inevitable post-Kyoto climate change agreement.
Ultimately it is enlightened individuals who must lead us out of this mess.
The intertwined problems of planning, local democracy and climate change require a vision at present sadly lacking, but essential if a repetition of the supremacy of individual greed over community good is not to recur. – Yours, etc,