TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

10 CONCLUSION
The study’s original proposal was based around the notion of doubling the population of the Irish
gateways, the implications such an increase of population would have on these territories and
issues that needed to be addressed in order to effectively prepare for such changes. However,
that was only a point of departure. Through the use of Prospective Through Scenarios
methodology, the scope of the study has broadened. In effect, it led to the consideration of the
overall future of the individual gateways as well as an exploration of the future of Ireland with
special emphasis on its spatial development. Simply, one cannot be considered without the
other.
While reflecting on the results of the study one can recognise three main issues that will have
profound effects on Ireland’s future development and its success in ensuring economic, social
and environmental sustainability.
1. A critical need to radically revise the National Spatial Strategy reflecting the vital and
dominant role of the Greater Dublin Area in securing the future of Irish society and the
continued prosperity of the national economy, as well as the progress towards spatial
and economic cohesiveness with Northern Ireland.
2. A pressing need for fostering collaborative visionary leadership at all spatial levels and
across all sectors.
3. And, last but not least, a fundamental requirement for a major reform of local and
regional structures of governance to be conducted based on the concepts of sustainable
city regions, subsidiarity and integrated policy formulation, decision-making and
implementation.
Analysis of the three scenarios of possible spatial futures for Ireland has shown that
strengthening and further development of already existing critical mass on the East coast,
centred around the Greater Dublin Area, is the most sustainable way forward. The current
National Spatial Strategy appears to be flawed in that it tries to impede and offset further
development of the Eastern region, through underinvestment and devolvement of resources to
other centres. The Eastern urban region is the only area that already has the ability, and will be
able in short- to medium-term future, to sustain sufficient critical mass needed to compete with
other city- regions in Europe and globally.
It is necessary to provide all Irish cities and regions with ample development opportunities, but
in a way that will reinforce and strengthen the already existing critical mass on the East coast,
not impede it. The success of the East is and will be the success of the whole country if the
future of these places is to be viewed in the context of complementarity with the East and not
competition. In order to achieve that goal it is necessary to recognise the uniqueness of various
regions in Ireland, especially the differences between the East and West. Sustainable growth
and prosperity can be ensured for individual territories through the formulation of development
objectives and policies specific to each that will acknowledge their diversity and reinforce their
strengths. Using the same set of policy objectives will boost some regions and impede others.
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