Dublin
Area:	921 km²
Capital:	Dublin
Code:	D
Population:	1,122,821 (2002)
Province:	Leinster

Dublin (Irish Áth Cliath, also referred to as Greater Dublin) is the area that contains the City of Dublin, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland; and the counties of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin.

Introduction

Dublin is located on the east coast of Ireland in the province of Leinster. The area formerly held county status until its dissolution as such in 1994, where Section 9 Part 1(a) of the Local Government (Dublin) Act, 1993 stated that as of 1st January 1994 "the county shall cease to exist"¹. At that time, and in response to a European Council report highlighting Ireland as the most centralised country in the European Union, it was decided that a single County Dublin was unmanageable and undemocratic from a Local Government perspective. The county was formally abolished and replaced with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, and South Dublin. The Government was fully aware of the magnitude of the legislation that was being passed, most poignantly noted by Deputy Avril Doyle in the Dáil assembly of the 3rd of November 1993, where she declared "The Bill before us today effectively abolishes County Dublin. I am not sure whether Dubliners realise that that is what we are about today, but in effect that is the case"². At present, many organisations, state agencies and sporting teams continue to operate on a "County Dublin" basis. Subsequently, much confusion exists around the legitimacy of the new counties - though they do have administrative county status, the only protected recognition of a county within the Irish State. The new counties, in place of County Dublin, will appear on all Irish national maps from 2006 onwards. The formal title of what was County Dublin in Irish legislation is now the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). The census of 2002³ recorded the total population of the GDA at 1,122,821, accounting for 28% of the national figure.

Local Authority Divisions

Dublin City Council has existed for centuries, previously as Dublin Corporation, as a county borough, whilst Dublin County Council in 1994 was abolished and the three new administrative counties have full local authority status since. Thus in summary the local authority divisions within the Greater Dublin area are:

Towns and suburbs

• Balbriggan, Blanchardstown
• Castleknock, Clondalkin,Clonskeagh, Clontarf, Coolock
• Dalkey, Donabate, Drumcondra, Dundrum, Dún Laoghaire
• Harold's Cross, Howth
• Killiney
• Lucan
• Malahide, Mulhuddart
• Palmerstown, Portmarnock
• Rathcoole, Rathfarnham, Rathgar, Rathmines, Rush
• Saggart, Sandyford, Skerries, Stillorgan, Swords
• Tallaght, Templeogue, Terenure

Footnote

1. Irish Statute Book: Local Government (Dublin) Act, 1993 (Section 9 Part 1(a))

2. Dáil Éireann: Parliamentary Debates (03 November, 1993)

3. Central Statistics Office: Census 2002 (Volume 1- Population Classified by Area)

External link

• Dublin Regional Authority
• Irish Architecture Online - Architecture of County Dublin