Sir, - On Tuesday, March 9th, you carried a report by Frank McDonald of Dublin City Council's decision to put the Eastern Bypass back on the agenda. He reported Ms Claire Wheeler (Greens) as saying there would be "war" if Booterstown Marsh was affected. I don't think any member of the public wants to see the march affected - nor, as I understand the plan, is it going to be.
However, it seems that there is abroad a view by some that all advances in infrastructural development are "bad". This applies equally to port tunnels, eastern relief routes or airport runways. Could I make the point that major civil engineering projects do bring environmental benefits other than the obvious, if handled properly?
Booterstown Marsh exists because William Dargan built the Dublin-Kingstown railway. The Bull Island exists because George Halpin built the North Wall. I'm sure if Bray esplanade did not exist today and it were proposed, its construction would be opposed; but if you proposed today to get rid of it, that would be opposed as vehemently.
The handling of great civil engineering projects with our knowledge today affords us the opportunity to design in benefits. Could not an Eastern Bypass be used to make a lagoon at Sandymount strand? This could be used to hide in some way the industrial developments along the Pigeon House Road.
We talk of increasing congestion being due to the arrival of the "Celtic Tiger", yet car ownership still lags almost 50 per cent behind our wealthy European neighbours. I believe we are heading towards their levels of ownership far quicker than a lot of people suspect. The pollution potential (and the waste of people's time), unless catered for, will far outweigh the cost of serious investment in an effective roads and public transport policy. - Yours, etc., Jerry Kiersey,
Chief Executive, Institute of Freight Forwarders of Ireland, Vernon Avenue, Dublin 3.