Sir, – Derek Scally (“As Dublin stagnates, Warsaw reinvents itself as a modern European capital”, World, January 1st) describes the remarkable transformation of Warsaw over the last quarter century and notes the role of “an independent city government with a real budget, headed by a mayor with real power” as a key element of this success. Dublin, by contrast, still suffers from a dilution of responsibility for city matters between low-powered public representatives, unelected city administrators, and conflicting government departments. Dublin desperately needs an injection of vision, and governance structures capable of carrying out bold and transformative plans for the city. The next programme for government must include a plebiscite for a directly elected mayor, as endorsed by the Dublin citizens’ assembly in December 2022; otherwise Dublin will continue to languish as a city full of potential stifled by incoherent governance. – Yours, etc,
STEPHEN WALL,
Navan,
Co Meath.