High expectations on Watt to drive Dublin’s regeneration but where is the Government funding to make it happen?

• Welcome the appointment of Robert Watt as Chief Executive of the Dublin City Regeneration Authority.
• Glaring absence of clarity in relation to the additional funding required to drive the changes: up to €1billion in capital funding and between €100-150 million per year across agencies.
• Taskforce recommendations gave rise to great hope that issues of waste, dereliction, housing, and policing would be addressed. Focus on the recommendations has considerably narrowed.
• Power of local government and Councillors is crucial.

Deputy Marie Sherlock, Labour TD for Dublin Central, has welcomed the appointment of a new Chief Executive of the Dublin City Regeneration Authority, set up following the Dublin City Taskforce report.

Deputy Sherlock stated that such a big salary for this role places great expectations on the authority to deliver for the people of Dublin.

Deputy Sherlock said:

“I very much welcome that Robert Watt has been appointed as Chief Executive of the Dublin City Regeneration Authority.

“Government has moved at a snail’s pace on the taskforce recommendations which were published 18 months ago. There is now very considerable expectation and high hopes of Mr. Watt in his role. I want to wish him well in this task.

“Funding and political will is critical to its success. Last year, David McRedmond, Chair of the Taskforce called on Government to commit to €1bn in Budget 2026 for the taskforce recommendations, and from what we can see that capital budget is nowhere to be seen.

“We have no clarity as to whether the Government has heeded to the Council’s request in February for €114m to kickstart the SPV (special purpose vehicle).

“The Taskforce report stated that at least €100-€150m would be required per annum to implement its recommendations. Government must now commit to that if it is serious about the regeneration of the centre of Dublin.

“It is also critical that we have clarity as to the full remit of the SPV and who will drive forward and coordinate the other recommendations of the Taskforce such as social housing regeneration, waste, transport and policing.

“We must ensure that all actions are delivered in a coordinated fashion to ensure that the recommendations are implemented in full, rather than in a piecemeal approach.

“The role of local government is absolutely crucial. It must not be an usurping of the role of local government or councillors bur rather compliments their role and functions to govern for the people of Dublin.

“Government must state without any ambiguity that it will provide the full capital and yearly funding required to deliver on the Taskforce for Dublin, otherwise, the new authority and Dublin City Council will not succeed in regenerating the most neglected parts of our city.”