For generations, communities in Dublin 1 have been neglected, under-resourced and are now dealing with a wave of incongruous development that prioritises hotels, offices and luxury student accommodation over communities’ needs.

Nevertheless, Dublin 1 represents the beating heart of life in the capital, along with the Liberties in Dublin 8. These are areas that hold our stories, culture and character. Residents, businesses and social spaces can trace their roots across centuries, alongside the immigrant communities now contributing hugely to contemporary culture.

Dublin 1 and Dublin 8 offer examples of what bustling, diverse urban ecosystems actually look like when, as the urbanist Jane Jacobs put it, they encapsulate the “sidewalk ballet” of functioning street life. Some of the few streets in the capital that can authentically claim to reflect the essential features of what Jacobs described as the “marvellous order” under “the seeming disorder”, are in both postcodes, including Parnell Street in Dublin 1, and Meath Street in Dublin 8.

In a recent article in the Business Post, the chief executive of An Post and chair of the Dublin City Taskforce, David........

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