Well, if you consider a 10 min walk needs a car, then so be it. Granted we are lacking on cafes, but we have a cluster of shops / pharmacy within walking distance at the Carpenter Inn and I think the area not too bad for facilities. The Carpenter pub is not too bad, there's also Kavanagh's closer to Castleknock.
Facilities wise, there's are schools within walking distance (one secondary, one primary), the primary is a brand new school. There's also a play park a few hundred yards from our house, so handy for the kids. Nearest shopping centre is Tesco at Roselawn, SuperQuinn at Blanch.
Traffic into town can be hairy in the morning, but then again where isn't. I get the train to work, so don't have to spend hours in the car.