This week we concluded the second stage in the process of making a Dublin City Development Plan for 2011-2017.

In December we put the first draft out to public consultation and the public gave their views on the draft. After the cut off date, the City Manager gave his views on the public submissions and made a number of recommendations. Councillors then submitted motions to amend the Draft Plan based on the public submissions and the Manager’s recommendations. The Manager then came back with a report and recommendations on those motions. And on Monday night, the debate on all of this began. (Still with me?)

The Development Plan has always been foremost in my mind since my election in June 2009 – it is likely the most important thing we will do as a Council collectively. I have taken this responsibility very seriously and have spent hundreds of hours pouring over documents, researching, meeting interested parties and talking with experts.

When we came to debate the first proposed draft before Christmas (which would eventually become the Draft Plan that went out to the public), I came away from that process with a bad taste in my mouth. It didn’t live up to my expectations of the range of debate I thought we would have around various issues.

It is the one outstanding quality of the Council in my opinion – we have real debates. But with the Development Plan time simply didn’t allow it: there was too much to get through in too short a time.

Who’s to blame? You could blame the legislation, which sets the timelines, but it’s bigger than this – it cuts to the very core of how we govern locally in this country. But that’s for another day.

That feeling of being burned by the process hadn’t gone away when this second stage came along. While I spent just as much time in preparation etc, I just wasn’t as passionate about it, I wasn’t feeling it. That bothered me but that’s where I was. I expected to be let down by the process again.

In three nights and some ten hours we moved through over 900 motions. Very impressive time management and a compliment to the preparation that the officials had done before this week.

In a way, this stage was good because we didn’t waste any time on those issues that didn’t need any more. When someone had a point to make, they made it succinctly and we moved quickly to a vote. Which worked – certain things have been thrashed out enough at this stage. However, at the same time, those issues that did need more time – greater discussion and debate – didn’t get it. And that was frustrating. But that was how it went.

Any change that has been made to the first draft that went out on public display previously will now be put back out to the public at the end of August. Only the changes though (‘material alterations’), not the draft plan as a whole.

I’m confident that, for the most part, those things that need more time – height and, in particular, issues around Z15 land zoning – will get it in the final analysis some time around November/December when we once again debate and sign off on the plan. We will have more time then as there will be fewer issues before us and as it is the last stage we will be sure to get it right. We will be sure that we adopt the right plan for the city, I’m confident of that.

Was I happy at the end of it? Not entirely. One issue, concerning public consultation at the next stage on all the height provisions in the plan, kept me from voting on a compromise height motion that I thought was heading in the right direction. I didn’t want to vote against it but I was left with little choice when a simple amendment that would have ensured full consultation was defeated. That’s democracy I suppose. They had the votes without me.

Overall though, some good things have been done, progress has been made on the earlier draft, and I am looking forward to the next stage.