Lynn supports
proposal
for new city in Connacht
PD Councillor Hugh Lynn has welcomed the recent proposal to establish a new city in the West of Ireland located in the North Connacht region on the Roscommon/Mayo border, in line with his party's general reaction to the idea.
By Rory Murphy
"First of all I’d like to welcome the fact that Minister Noel Dempsey has decided to include the proposal in the National Spatial Strategy," Councillor Lynn stated. While accepting that this did not mean the city would definitely go ahead, Cllr. Lynn said, "it has a better chance of going ahead if it's included in the spatial strategy than if it is excluded."
"I think it's a great idea," Cllr Lynn continued. "It would revitalise parts of the west. This city would be started from scratch and totally planned instead of happening by accident as our other large towns and cities have."
"All our major towns are unsuitable to modern conditions because they were never designed for them…… naturally as a result you get traffic problems as well as social problems with people living on top of each other."
But Councillor Lynn insisted a city could be designed that would not have these problems, pointing to the example of Canberra in Australia. He also argued that the new city could "take the pressure off Galway and Sligo" and would be better able to expand because it would not be on the seaboard.
Cllr Lynn said that the new city would not repeat the problems of our existing cities in the West. 'The important thing is to put the services in first and then put the people in, not the other way around." He pointed to Shannon as the wrong way to build a new town. 'The success of this proposal depends on which approach is taken. If this proposal is followed it will cost billions but it will work."
And Cllr. Lynn said Roscommon need not worry about the gravitational pull of such a major city on its doorstep, "Quality of life is an important thing. If people could go to work in this new city and return home again in the evening they could have a very good quality of life…… in other cities, in Dublin and Galway, as the city does well the suburbia is also thriving."
As yet though there are no plans as to what the new city will be called, if it ever does get off the ground. Suggestions anyone?
The initial proposal was set out in a comprehensive preliminary report drawn up by Galway businessman Mr. William Thomas and engineer Mr. John McMyler. The new city would be located in east Mayo, "ideally within 10 miles of Knock International Airport". It would cover 30 square miles, with an initial population of 100,000 and designed for occupation by 250,000 people within 20 years.
According to the proposal, "housing will be new, spatial, detached, in an infrastructured suburbia, with churches, community centres, shops, and other recreational facilities. Wide boulevards and avenues will afford free movement of traffic and well-designed public transport and underground car parking facilities will allow free access at all times."
The new city's backers say that it should be the base for several Government departments such as the Department of the Environment, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Education and Science. It should also be the location for a "University of Connacht" or "National Academy of Sciences" or both, and an international hospital (a sort of Mayo Clinic in Mayo).
Since it surfaced, the idea has inspired controversy. Among the plan's supporters are President Mary McAleese, Bishop of Achonry, Dr Tom Flynn, Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Minister of State for Science, Technology and Commerce, Mr Noel Treacy; Mr John Higgins, general secretary of the Progressive Democrats; and the Fine Gael senator, Mr John Connor. Detractors like Irish Times columnist (and Roscommon native) John Waters argue that a new city is "the last thing we need."