LEGISLATION is to be published within the next two weeks to establish a new development authority which will take charge of Dublin's redundant dockland area, according to the Minister for the Environment.
Mr Howlin said yesterday that the Docklands Development Authority would be a "completely new and independent" body, rather than a reconstitution of the Custom House Docks Development Authority, whose term of office expires in January.
He told The Irish Times that the new authority would have "different structures in terms of working with Dublin Corporation and various representative groups and would be "very much an open forum", subject to the normal planning process.
Mr Howlin was speaking at the presentation of a set of studies covering the socio economic and employment structure of the area, which stretches downriver from the Custom House to the Pigeon House, its architectural heritage and current land uses.
He said these studies would provide "vital sources of information" to the consortium of consultants, headed by architects Murray O'Laoire, which is engaged in preparing a master plan for the redundant docklands - an area of some 1,300 acres.
"Today's launch of these reports is another important step in the process and important evidence that the initiative as a whole is being pressed ahead with all possible speed," the Minister declared, adding that the master plan would be completed next spring.
He noted that the socio economic study, compiled by the ESRI, highlights the importance of dealing with the community dimension of the area as its regeneration proceeds. The Government viewed this aspect as being of "extreme importance", he said.
In 10 to 15 years, Mr Howlin said he hoped that any sequel would show the area with a revived socio economic status and a new range of land uses to replace those which had become redundant. He also attached "great importance" to preserving the area's heritage.
One of the key findings of the ESRI study is that the population of the docklands area has risen by six per cent, reversing a trend of decline. However, 34 per cent of its residents - more than double the city average - are in local authority housing.
The study also found that just under eight per cent of some 20,800 employees in the area are also living there. More than two thirds of employers felt it was a "good location" to do business and over half saw themselves expanding over the next five years.
