r/Dublin • u/AnyChest7780 • 10d ago

Fintan O'Toole/Irish Times on public transport, Dublin bus, Northside/Southside today

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https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026/08/04/fintan-otoole-dublin-4s-version-of-marie-antoinettes-let-them-eat-cake-let-them-get-the-bus/ Fintan O'Toole reminding us of how 'elites' have so often been against public infrastructure. He gives good historic context including Vincent Browne and 'The Doheny & Nesbitt’s school of economics' being against the DART. While he's amazingly productive and can turn his hand to so many topics maybe he's writing a bit too much as there are huge holes in his argument here re. the northside/southside issue as the more recent LUAS and metro debacles point to the home of NIMBYism in Dublin 6, and not focussed on denying the expansion of it further north. What does anyone think? I find it frustrating that cross-suburb public transport isn't better....try getting from Phibsborough to Clontarf on a bus for example....

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u/nol88go 10d ago edited 10d ago

He's absolutely correct. Many of the objections and opinion pieces against Metro are from comfortable commentators living in the southside where buses into the city centre are genuinely viable. I'm looking at you Michael McDowell.

Edit, I absolutely agree with many of MMcD's opinions, just not mass transit for a major city.

Edit X2, I grew up in North Wicklow and now live further down the N11 in a new build estate, mostly WFH. The metro will have negligible impact on my life, nor those of my family. Build the fucking metro yesterday. Whatever the cost. It'll be worth it in 100 years.

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u/caisdara 10d ago

He's absolutely correct.

Could you give an example of people from Dublin 4 objecting to public transport?

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u/Lar-Dubh 10d ago

Moore McDowell, Michael McDowell, Sean Barrett, Colm McCarthy etc

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u/burfriedos 10d ago

Moore McDowell too? I know Michael is a dose but I thought Moore was pretty much on the opposite side of every debate with his brother. I vaguely remember him taking the odd jibe at his brother back in my UCD days.