The outgoing Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr Dermot Lacey, raised the debased art of politics yesterday by publicly admitting that he was wrong to oppose plans for the Spire in O'Connell Street and that those who had vision to support the scheme when it came before the City Council in 1999 were right.
Speaking just hours before leaving office at a rather chaotic ceremony in the middle of Dublin's main street to inaugurate the monument, Mr Lacey even put up with some barracking from protesters who branded him a "traitor" for voting in favour of waste management charges.
Mr Lacey conceded, too, that there were still divided views about the soaring stainless steel spire. Some would argue that the lighting scheme, switched on for the first time a few nights ago, falls short of what was promised and even compromises the simplicity of the structure. One could also complain that the upper portion has become somewhat tarnished by the weather since it was erected last January and will need to be polished sooner or later. But Mr Lacey's central point is surely valid - whatever its faults, the Spire is a tangible symbol of Dublin City Council's determination to rejuvenate O'Connell Street.
The height of the monument and the brightness of its beacon, which can now be seen from numerous vantage points around the city, certainly constitute a "radical recharging of the cultural dimension of the public domain", in the words of Mr Dick Gleeson, deputy city planning officer. It is the first key element in realising the 1998 integrated area plan for O'Connell Street, which has been delayed too long. But work is finally under way on another major project - the creation of a new plaza in front of the GPO - even if it has compounded Luas construction to make a mess of the street.
It is clear, however, that the future of O'Connell Street hinges on what will happen to the Carlton site, where the current owners are challenging a compulsory purchase order in the High Court. In this context, Mr Lacey drew applause yesterday when he suggested that the greatest single contribution the Government could make would be to relocate the Abbey Theatre there. Although the Taoiseach is said to be taking a personal interest in O'Connell Street, so far not a single penny has come from the Exchequer towards the estimated €50 million needed to turn its fortunes around. It is time for Mr Ahern to back fine words with finance.