Calls for a Minister for Dublin to secure next generation’s future

Ireland needs to pick winners if it is to survive and thrive in a world where mega cities will drive economic growth.

That was the message delivered by John Moran, former Secretary General at the Department of Finance, at a breakfast event in Dublin on Tuesday morning organised by Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Fujitsu Ireland to explore what Dublin and Ireland will look like by the year 2050. Speaking to an audience of more than 100 business people, Moran said that Ireland needs a second economic hub which will act as a counter-balance to Dublin and allow us to experiment and try out new ideas.

Moran contended that future economic growth will depend on innovation, ideas and creativity. He said: “A symbiotic relationship needs to be developed between Dublin and the other regions and cities in Ireland. Balanced regional growth is not about giving one to everybody. It’s about allowing regions to develop their own power to work and to be sustainable in themselves.”

Also speaking at the event, chaired by Dublin Chamber CEO Gina Quin, was Conor Skehan, Chairman of the Housing Agency and Senior Lecturer, DIT School of Transport and Planning. Skehan outlined that a new Minister for Dublin should be a national priority. He said: “We cannot stand idly by while negotiations for Government consider promising a minister and a multi-billion euro spending for peripheral rural areas. At the same time the governance and budget for the country’s biggest centre of employment, tax payment and exports is ignored. Ireland must stop playing catch-up and must aspire for greatness. Our plans are always too small, too timid and too concerned with the needs of the next ten years. We need to plan for the next generation. This will only happen if the business community act together to provide leadership and vision, and to think big, be brave and make no small plans.”

Pictured at the breakfast event were John Moran, former Secretary General at the Department of Finance and current member of the Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank, Dave Delaney, Service Delivery Director, Fujitsu Ireland, Gina Quin, CEO, Dublin Chamber of Commerce, and Conor Skehan, Chairman of the Housing Agency and Senior Lecturer, DIT School of Transport and Planning.