Smart Growth and the Irish Land-use Stakeholder: From Rhetoric to Reality

In the past decade, Ireland has undergone a period of unprecedented growth culminating in the creation of a new economic society based on service provision, a move away from a traditional agricultural base. Allied to this has been an increase in economic, social and legislative inroads into Europe and beyond. This change has brought with it challenges commonly associated with unpredicted growth such as traffic congestion, urban sprawl, access to education and a perceived lack of affordable housing. One part of the solution proposes adopting the principles that underpin the concept of "Smart Growth". This paper critically evaluates the concept of Smart Growth. In a country with increasing concerns regarding land-use and property development, this paper demonstrates possible roles for Smart Growth in the mitigation of these issues. The paper also identifies the novel dimension of the research and its contribution to the knowledge base.