New ground was broken and precedent set, when the citizens of Dublin South East, were invited to an appraisal of the performance and plans Dublin Corporation has in mind for the freemen of the city. The function at city hall was fully attended with four hundred people present. In his address, the city manager, Mr. John FitzGerald, outlined the manner in which the Corporation wish to liase with all of us in the coming years. While the expression ‘partnership’ has become a little hackneyed in recent times, there is no doubt about the sincerity of the officers of the Corporation in their desire for an interactive approach with us all.

Mr. FitzGerald said that the multi-disciplinary team of professionals would envisage responding to proposals from residents associations and various groups as quickly as possible, in order to promote good development. The audience was also told that the new development plan for Dublin will be on display in the New Year, and should be completed by the end of 1998. This plan will reciprocate and work with the Dublin Docklands Development Plan and with the various roads authorities.

The meeting was remarkable in that it was the audience who were invited to speak and not the councillors, who sat and listened to various speakers. The assistant city managers also spoke, each one outlining his brief for the future of the city. They listened patiently to the concerns of various speakers from the floor and responded to each question at the end of the session. The meeting ended with a glass of wine and a very fine plate of food for all those present and a most exceptional opportunity for everyone to talk to councillors and Corporation Officials alike in a friendly social setting. We must thank the City Manager for this innovative idea, whereby each Ward in the city, will have an opportunity to ‘say it for Dublin’.