I agree with many of the points made in regard to the old city of Dublin. However, we must ask what the purpose of this Bill is and what it will do. Perhaps there should be a separate authority for different areas. Basically I am very worried about the whole concept of separate authority in this Bill and its effect on the concept of democracy. The local authority for the city of Dublin is simply wiped out. Dublin Corporation spent a few years discussing this site at Custom House Docks and had many plans for it, but the Government just make their own decision, totally disregarding Dublin Corporation. Maybe it is a good thing, but the whole principle of democracy is being eroded. Maybe the dictatorial principle will get things done more efficiently, and that is the Minister's argument for this. He has to consult with Dublin Corporation but he does not have to get their consent. Dictatorships are in many cases more efficient; but they are doing what the dictator wants, not what the people want. That is precisely what is happening in this Bill. It is concerned with what the Minister wants done, not about the wishes of the people of Dublin.
The beginning of this is to wipe out the working class people from the inner city and put in a nouveau riche type with their marinas and boats, following the line of what has been done in London. That is the purpose of this and it worries me exceedingly. The headquarters of the Garda Síochána are to be in the same area to ensure that these people are protected from the marauders on the outside.
Under section 2 the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, by order declare an area to be a designated area. There is no reference whatever to the local authority, to the councillors elected every five years to Dublin City Council. These city councillors are seen as a bit of a menace. The same attitude is adopted towards councillors in the country who are seen to be causing problems. Without them, the managers could do a very good job. There may be problems with political pushing and pulling, but that is what democracy is all about. Do we want democracy or do we want dictatorship? We have to decide. Local councils are elected by local people; and, if they do not do the job for which they were elected, they will not be successful in the next election. Many councillors were not re-elected last year. That is what the system is about. They have to do what the people want done, whether the Minister likes it or not.
The Minister is now to have the power to designate any area he decides in any part of the country, without consulting the local authority. The local authority might well wish to have a particular area designated for the purposes of tax incentives and so on; but the Minister will make the decision, not the local authority, as to what area should be designated. Perhaps business and political lobbyists will be able to bring pressure on the Minister to give them tax incentives for an area they intend to develop anyway. If they had incentives for the development of the Dublin 4 area, would they not make a mint? We do not want the Minister making decisions at the behest of pressure groups who are seeking to line their own pockets. That is why the local authority should have some say, but they are not even referred to in this section. The only consent the Minister needs is that of the Minister for Finance. He can make any order he decides.
I omitted to ask the Minister to explain what section 4 is all about. There may be implications in it which we do not see. I would ask the Minister when replying on this section to explain the meaning of section 4. The Minister may make an order without any consultation and then amend that order. There is reference to consultation with another Minister of Government, but I do not know which Minister that is or the circumstances in which he would be consulted.
Deputy Brady talked about the importance of the city architect. His could be a very important role, but as far as the city of Dublin is concerned the city architect has very little role to play because of the planning laws. All he can tell a planner or developer who is knocking down a whole street is that the new building must be so many feet back from the road and must not exceed a certain height. He has no say about the type of architectural frontage of the new building. Architects can put up buildings of concrete and glass and all sorts of messes, as they have done around St. Stephen's Green. The city architect mainly helps to design local authority housing, which is very well done. As regards the planning and designing of the city, it is architects in general who make these decisions. A visiting architect has been criticising Dublin Corporation for the dereliction in the city and many such criticisms can be made. He has not, however, referred to the architects and the monstrosities they have erected all over this city, as well as the developers who made the decisions to knock down existing buildings. He did not refer to the situation in St. Stephen's Green, in which Dublin Corporation had no hand, act or part. The Gallagher Group, who put £30 million down the drain, had something to do with it. The same situation existed in Earlsfort Terrace for years. I do not know whether this Bill can correct any of those things. The Minister may, however, make orders without reference to the local authority.