An ambitious 10-point plan to woo the capital's voters was unveiled today by the Labour Party.
Focusing on realising Dublin's potential as a city, the party vowed to make a difference to the lives of its residents if elected in to government.
It proposed more buses and a €1 standard fare, a first class health system with 600 new community beds, more gardaí, fast-tracking school builds, and a major affordable housing scheme among the initiatives.
Reviewing decentralisation, developing the cultural capital, pedestrianising College Green, creating a Greater Dublin Authority, and investing money in areas of multiple deprivation were also part of the package to transform the city.
Ruairi Quinn, party spokesman on enterprise, trade and employment, said Dublin has the potential to become one of the great cities of the world.
"The Dublin of 2007 is a city under pressure," he said launching the plan.
"The failure to plan properly, the failure to provide proper infrastructure, especially in regard to public transport, the failure to make adequate provision for the social and recreational needs of its citizens have diminished the quality of life of the capital's citizens.
"All these factors have also all combined to rob Dublin of its full potential."
The Greater Dublin Area today boasts over one and a half million people and is expected to grow to in excess of two million by 2021.
Mr Quinn said the capital was a relatively compact city and it was ridiculous that somebody living in the outer suburbs can take up to an hour and half to get to work in the city centre.
He claimed failures to provide proper community policing has left areas of the city and country exposed to crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour, and criticised the Government's decentralisation plan which he promised would be reviewed if elected.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said despite the Celtic Tiger, areas of deprivation ruined by drug epidemics, crime, violence, and anti-social behaviour were forgotten.
"Across Dublin, you will see all the signs of private affluence, but little public wealth," he said.
"You will see the high end cars, but not enough buses and trains. You'll see the new fitness clubs, but little for our young people to do.
"There have been worthy improvements to the layout of the city, but public space has lagged behind the pace of private development. People have taken second place to property."
Mr Rabbitte claimed the lives of hard working people are reduced to a treadmill of long days filled with constant traffic, work and trying to hold it all together.
"This election is about quality of life. It's about the day to day lives of hard working families, living in communities across this city, and across our country."
PA