The Irish Times

Bertie Ahern was the first leading politician to admit that he measured progress by counting tower cranes on Dublin's skyline, from the top floor of the Central Bank. He was Minister for Finance at the time, with a share of political responsibility for urban renewal. There may not be quite as many tower cranes on Dublin's skyline now as there was at the height of the boom, but the process of renewal continues apace in Docklands, Smithfield and other locations. It is so pervasive, indeed, that we almost take it for granted. Urban renewal incentives, first introduced in 1986, may have cost the Exchequer billions in tax revenue, but politicians can point to the enormous volume of construction generated by the scheme - not just in Dublin, but in every one of the 43 urban centres where it applied.