Sir, – The EU report Cities of Tomorrow states, "The administrative boundaries of cities no longer reflect the physical, social, economic, cultural or environmental reality of urban development and new forms of flexible governance are needed".
The government of Wales commissioned a 2012 report on city regions. It states that international research shows that “city regions with a population of more than 500,000 are strong drivers of economic growth – those with over one million often produce the fastest growth”. The report to the Welsh government recommended two city regions – a Swansea city region with a population of 700,000, and a southeast city region with a population of 1.7 million.
This State has one city region, Dublin. Cork is the obvious candidate for consideration as a second city region. All of Cork – city and county – has a population of just over half a million, small by a global city measurement.
The Welsh government report discussed the merits of multipolar city regions driven by more than one urban area. Such an approach could encompass a Cork-Waterford city region with suitable radically changed administrative arrangements. – Yours, etc,
SEÁN McDONAGH,
Raheny, Dublin 5.