Sir, – Sadhbh O’Neill and Richard Guiney are to be congratulated for putting their heads above the parapet in pitching the case for and against a congestion charge for Dublin (“Does Dublin need a congestion charge? An environmentalist vs a business representative”, Opinion & Analysis, September 12th).
Irrespective of whether I agree with an idea or not I welcome public debate that might lead to beneficial action or that in itself provoke further ideas. On congestion charges there are issues such as extent of area, how residents within the area are impacted, who sets the charge, how it is spent, and who spends it. These are just some of the practical issues, leaving aside whether or not it is agreed in principle.
The big question that needs to be asked is which of the current 64 State bodies, semi-State bodies, quangos or local government structures would be empowered to deal with the issue.
Stage one must be the merging of all these powers into a democratic single “Dublin Transport Authority”; and no, I don’t want a Dublin version of the unaccountable and unelected National Transport Authority. – Yours, etc,
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DERMOT LACEY,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.
