The housing plan 2025 to 2030 presents a valuable opportunity to rethink how we design and deliver homes in a sustainable way. A key element must be a shift towards building up rather than building out, ensuring we protect greenfield land while promoting compact growth. This does not mean high-rise development but well-designed, high-density urban living that fits the character and scale of our town and cities. It is time we explored how ports like that in Dublin could be relocated and reconfigured, as has been achieved in other parts of Ireland. For example, the Port of Cork has shifted most of its operations from the city quays to Ringaskiddy, freeing up significant dockland space for regeneration. Similarly, Waterford Port moved its commercial activities from the city centre to Belview, which opened the way for new urban development. These examples show how relocating port functions can successfully unlock valuable waterfront areas for residential, cultural and commercial use. Indeed, Drogheda port area is crying out for such redevelopment and it could transform the town. Returning to my call for exciting urban design and higher density, I am calling on the Minister to launch an international architectural competition, drawing in architectural talent from across the globe. We do not have to go very far. Róisín Heneghan from Belmullet, County Mayo, was recently the key architect in the Grand Egyptian Museum, bringing glory and a wow factor back into the city of Cairo. This is what we need. We need to be creating vibrant spaces that will transform the way we live but will also add a wow factor to Dublin, Drogheda, Dundalk, Cork, Galway and all the other towns and cities. It would be a leading light in how we decide how to regenerate these areas and, indeed, we could be a leading figure in such a project.

Sentiment score: 0.37