The Government should make a speedy decision on Dublin Corporation's plant to spend £35 million on developing O'Connell Street, Mr Jack Lalor, of the Irish Hotels Federation, has urged. Mr Lalor, chairman of the IHF's Dublin branch, said O'Connell Street was synonymous with Ireland's image abroad and was a focal point for the capital. It attracted five million tourists a year and needed to be enhanced to reflect more accurately its historical role in Irish life.
"Dublin Corporation's integrated area plan for O'Connell Street, for which the environmental impact study is completed, should be initiated without any further delay and we are urging the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, to give the plan his seal of approval immediately," Mr Lalor said.
Successful tourist initiatives had established Dublin as one of Europe's leading capitals, but O'Connell Street, in its current state, did not live up to the standards required of a focal point. The integrated area plan "would revamp the street, shop fronts and surrounding environs to ensure the millions of visitors to Dublin are not disappointed".
"Like the Champs Elysees in Paris, O'Connell Street should be an attraction in itself, and should capitalise on its strong sense of history and place," Mr Lalor said.
If there was a prompt decision by Mr Dempsey, the integrated area plan could be completed by 2002, he added.