SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND babies brought joy into homes across the State last year and nudged the population to a level not seen in more than 100 years. The development reflected an inflow of workers and consistent economic growth from the previous decade. Since then, the economy has taken a hammering.
But the core belief in the potential of our society, inherent in these figures, should be celebrated and acted upon.
Failure to plan properly for expansion and growth in the past created major social and economic problems and hindered development. An absence of joined-up thinking and turf wars between competing government departments and agencies bedevilled development programmes. Professional bodies acted from self-interest, as did political parties. There was a lack of vision and strategic initiative. We must learn from those mistakes.
In planning for the future, clear objectives and direct lines of accountability have to be established. Without personal responsibility, plans lose their cohesion and targets become mere aspirations. For a start, with all these babies being born, we must ensure the health services are adequately prepared to deal with their needs. More school places will have to be provided. Family-friendly apartments, with adequate storage and decent construction will be needed. Better roads, public transport, sewage systems, electronic communications, water supplies and employment opportunities will be necessary.
A recent report from Dublin City University criticised successive governments for not formally recognising the capital as the primary engine of growth for the Irish economy. A reluctance to take crucial decisions concerning public services and infrastructure and prolonged delays in implementing them had significantly impeded Dublin’s ability to compete on the international scene, it found. That situation may recur if uncertainties involving business needs and social stability are not addressed. Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin welcomed the baby boom on the basis that a younger workforce will support pensioners. But this generation of workers must, in advance, provide for them.
There is no shortage of ideas in government. Filing cabinets are stuffed with plans. What is required is political determination to implement measures that will create employment and provide social stability. In that regard, the Government’s neglected spatial strategy should be used as a framework for regional development. And, within that strategy, detailed planning for the needs of a growing population should take place.