Economic restructuring, urban change and regeneration: the case of Dublin

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of international economic restructuring and globalisation in urban areas, with particular reference to Ireland’s capital city, Dublin. These trends, often depicted as unproblematic, have resulted in considerable polarisation between various social groups and areas, and new inequalities have emerged between “winners” and “losers”. In Dublin, as in other cities, the policy response has been largely a spatial one where “problem areas” have been designated for special assistance and new agencies have been established. The impact of the Designated Area Scheme in Dublin is evaluated, as is the record of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, whose remits included social and economic regeneration. The paper raises critical concerns about the developmental implications of these interventions, particularly with respect to inner-city communities, education, environmental impacts, land-price escalation and other urban pressures and conflicts.