Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

Yesterday was a good day for Dublin's docklands. It marked the opening of the red line Luas extension from Busaras and Connolly Station to The Point. The provision of high-capacity, frequent and reliable public transport to the heart of the Dublin docklands on the north side of the river can only be positive. It will be good for the residents of East Wall and for the rest of us. It will take many cars off the quays and improve matters.

The journey along the Luas red line extension traces the rise and fall of Ireland's economic successes and failures over the past 20 years. It begins with the Irish Financial Services Centre, a fairly bland corporate group of buildings. I am not a great fan of their architecture and they are fairly soulless and dull at night. However, as one continues to Mayor Square one sees a bit of a buzz. There is the National College of Ireland, the former National College for Industrial Relations. People live over restaurants and bars and there is a range of activities there. In many ways, it is a very good model of urban living for the 21st century. A bit further on is the National Convention Centre. I am not a great fan of its architecture or of the proposals to put in place many high-rise hotels there. At the next stop is the concrete hulk of Seanie FitzPatrick's Anglo Irish Bank headquarters. That in itself tells the tale of the excess of economic development in Ireland.

See this speech in context