Sir, – Clontarf residents have a problem with the height of an embankment over a major water main and its incorporation in proposed flood defences on the seafront on the north side of Dublin Bay which will cut them off from a view of the sea. They are also concerned at the manner in which it is being implemented in the absence of fully detailed information and photomontages. I quite understand their concern.
I live on the south side of the bay where a number of proposed developments ranging from the Covanta incinerator, Dublin Port company’s proposals for further reclamation, the City Council’s proposed extension to the sewage plant and a nine kilometre tunnel under Sandymount Strand to discharge effluent into the sea, together with the high S2S cycleway/flood relief scheme on the EU designated beach sound the death knell of the south bay. That is to ignore the various proposed schemes for massive development on the reclaimed land by Docklands/Nama.
Dublin Bay is the heritage of all Dubliners, whether they live on he north or south side. Electronic communication, so quick and easy for politicians and civil servants, is not necessarily the best form of consultation with or participation by citizens in local government. The north bay residents have a right to have their views and wishes properly addressed when proposed flood defences are being considered.
The only difference I can see between the manner in which proposals are implemented on the Clontarf and Sandymount sides of Dublin Bay is that politicians have in the past introduced new laws and used CPOs to exclude southside residents from any participation in south bay schemes. – Yours, etc,