Comment & Analysis: While a far higher percentage of the original social media comments around the plan for College Green were overall positive, the haters seem to have stuck with Dublin City Councils Facebook posts, and that should not be dismissed.Its worth noting that positive reactions, such as thumbs up and heart emojis, outweigh negative comments and reactions, but those pushing negativity against the project seem more motivated to comment, which isnt a good sign.Research shows this is also often the case with public consultation, and that objectors are more motivated to keep the status quo than people are to fight for improvements. And its not hard to imagine that the failed previous attempt at a plaza and the protracted processes might water down the enthusiasm for making yet another public consultation submission.I can imagine some officials might be reading this and saying the cheek of that lad, talking about negativity, when he put out a negative article about the project.But everything in that article can be fixed if the council are motivated to actually deliver a world-class space. Theres a difference between addressing fixable issues and being totally opposed to a project.If theres no willingness to fix issues including ones which affect safety and deliver spaces that work for pedestrians and people cycling then officials are proving the naysayers right.If you want the project to go ahead with improvements, you need to make your voice heard respond to the public consultation via the form or email. And maybe also take the extra step and email your local city councillors closest to where you live or work (or just mention it the next time youre contacting them about something else).If you dont make the effort to have your voice heard, at least some of the serial complainers will make sure they do.The following are examples of some of those comments on Facebook some names will be familiar to anybody who glances at Facebook comments; these are people who (mostly unconstructively) complain nearly on a daily basis. A regular who gives out about anything that might affect cars, Marie Murphy, said: Another new post about this utopian unworkable scheme.Its amazing Dublin City Council are often criticised for notpublicising public consultation enough, but the complainers are now criticising the council for posting too much about it.Another commenter, Oliver OShea, writes: Ive noticed that DCC no longer mentions the 80 MILLION price tag. Someone has come to their senses, just a little bit. Tired of saying it but the citys public realm needs much more fundamental attention cleaning, street and road maintenance and dereliction. College Green is perhaps one of the areas in the city that actually looks fine!80 million isnt the likely price tag for the project; it includes a huge contingency of nearly 40%. It likely wouldnt go ahead if that were the base price, but theres also an unrealistic public view of how much major works should cost. Even relatively short lengths of road resurfacing can cost a lot, but that cost is strangely rarely questioned. Capital funding (new projects) and maintenance are always separate funding theres a point to make that theres too much of a detachment between the two types of funding, but thats not going to be fixed at the project level.Geraldine O Neill just said leave well alone, while Matt Mullen said More room for tents in the city, Paul Maher said: Junkies and alcos tents and homeless and not a Garda in sight just like Capel st, and Stephen Luco tried to make some kind of joke around questions the council could ask, and one of the answers he suggested was It rains about 230 days a year Stupid Paddys.Do you want these types of voices to be heard more than yours?For the record: While it might not feel like it lately, Dublin has rainfall similar to places with way more public plazas and squares. Dublin will manage with a few more. There are also more apparently well-meaning comments that are not based on the reality of the plans, such as this from Tanya Mullen: All I see is miles of concrete, which will inevitably flood, but the project has so much green space at points that its probably taking too much space from pedestrians.And there are also many understandable comments around buses. For example, Bernard Keogh said: This project will essentially cut the city in two. There are no viable alternative bus routes that can serve the population. Pedestrianise OConnell Street instead. But the bus route north-south on College Green will remain, and OConnell Street is far more vital for buses, and many of the bus priority measures have already been put in place for routes diverted from going east-west on College Green. Some comments can be constructive, even if you or I disagree with them, but dont let the naysayers and near-professional complainers derail the project or have it watered down. Improvements are needed, but people need to ask for them.