Taoiseach supports high-rise waterfront for Dublin

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said he is "broadly supportive" of plans to relocate Dublin port and to intensively develop the waterfront area as a Manhattan-style gateway to the capital.

A plan put forward by Progressive Democrats Transport spokesman Tom Morrissey envisages the transfer of existing Dublin port activities to Bremore, north of Balbriggan, over a 25- year period.

Dublin port would gradually be redeveloped to include skyscrapers capable of supporting a population of more than 50,000 people .

The proposals also provide for the creation of a "world-class" terminal for cruise liners. The plan sees the Dublin Port Tunnel as an integral part of the redevelopment to accommodate the proposed expansion.

According to Senator Morrissey, land prices of €30 million per acre could be achieved for most of the port holding which runs to 660 acres. The sale of land could release between €15 billion and €20 billion to fund infrastructure in the vicinity of the new port at Bremore.

The plan was welcomed by speakers at a seminar in Dublin Castle yesterday which was opened by Tánaiste Michael McDowell and addressed by representatives of the city council, business and tourism interests and economists.

Economist Dr Constantin Gurdgiev said that such high density would counteract Dublin sprawl to the west of the capital, and substantially boost the population of the city centre. To allow urban sprawl to continue and not develop the port would cost the State 12 per cent of GDP per year, he said.

The seminar also heard of the experiences in Hafen city, in Hamburg, Germany, which was said to be one of Europe's most successful inner city waterfront redevelopments. The experience of Helsinki in Finland was also held up as an example of successful relocation of port activities.

Mr McDowell told the seminar he was "happy to report that in my discussions with the Taoiseach about the regeneration of Dublin Port and Senator Morrissey's visionary plan, he has indicated his support for what we are working to achieve today".

Asked to comment in Finland yesterday, where he was attending an EU meeting, Mr Ahern said he had been "at the heart" of docklands redevelopment since the mid-1980s when, as lord mayor of Dublin, he had launched the plan for the revitalisation of the docklands.

He said the question was whether to halt development or take it further "moving 40,000 trucks per day" out of the area.

A Dublin Port spokesman said as it understood the situation "it is still Government policy to stay in the current location".