Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

However, we need proper planning and a cost-benefit analysis. Putting massive rail lines through communities such as Rathmines and Ranelagh, where they may not be needed, is probably the wrong way to go. I am very concerned that engineers are planning our cities. We wish to see a city of villages and living, breathing communities, for which we need proper planning, whereby people of all wealth status can live side by side, and the person working in a hotel or restaurant, as well as the millionaire, has an opportunity to live in the city centre. At present, in Dublin city 9% of the country's GDP is generated and develops within four square miles with very little planning. While we have engineers, we have very few planners. We really need a strong debate with regard to planning in our villages and towns, because we have seen our villages, towns and cities hollowed out from being living, breathing communities. This echoes from Cork to Dublin to Limerick to Mallow. We need proper planning and it is long due time we had that debate. We need to debate this before we pour billions of euro into the MetroLink. We need a debate with the Minister, Deputy Ross, in the House to let him explain his proposals.