Colm Burke
Cork North-Central · Fine Gael · Ireland
“That is not the Department's fault but the FAI was not asked any questions about bringing this land back into use for sporting activities in Glanmire. There are 30 acres lying idle. Not a sod has been turned and no planning application has been made. We are now getting mixed messages about what is actually going on.”
“The Department is still giving out money to the FAI and not calling it to account for getting the land from a Government agency, the local authority, and leaving it to sit idle, while clubs are now refusing to take in new members because they do not have capacity for them. It is time for the Department to step in.”
“It is ten years later and not a sod has been turned. I got then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, to come to Glanmire in 2023 where we met 18 of the sports clubs. As a result of that meeting, the FAI started negotiations again with the county council.”
“The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport provides funding to the FAI on an annual basis. I understand it is more than €6 million. Can the Minister of State ascertain why 30 acres of land in Glanmire, Cork, which was leased to the FAI by Cork County Council in 2017, has remained idle?”
“I am absolutely astonished at that reply. The county council told councillors that it was leasing 12.5 acres to Riverstown FC rather than the full site. What the FAI is telling the Minister is totally different.”
“There has been a substantial delay in issuing Irish residency permit, IRP, cards. Quite a number of my constituents have been let go from employment because they did not get their cards within the 12-week period.”
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“The Islamic Republic of Iran has been a violent oppressor at home and supporter and facilitator of terrorist organisations cross the Middle East. While the main focus is on Iran and its neighbours, Israel has seized the opportunity to attack and invade Lebanon, bombing at will and displacing tens of thousands of people, all while Israeli settler terror groups, fully supported by the Israeli security forces, continue a policy of creeping annexation of the West Bank. The Bible says Israel shall be a blessing to all the peoples of the Earth. The question for Israelis today is whether Israel is a blessing or a curse for the Palestinian people, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. The fact that Benjamin Netanyahu is facing corruption charges and an election this year is a relevant factor.”
“Under pressure from Israel and Saudi Arabia, President Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 and imposed massive sanctions on Iran. During his Presidency, President Biden was unable to restore the original deal. In October 2025, Iran formally announced the termination of the agreement. President Trump's recent negotiations on a new deal with Iran were largely a smokescreen for preparations for war. The dogs of war are once again unleashed in the Middle East. The only certainties are destruction and the killing, maiming and displacement of people on a massive scale. Western intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq brought only chaos and suffering and the outcome in Iran is likely to be the same. The war with Iran will cause a new wave of refugees into neighbouring countries but also into Europe.”
“As regards Israel and Iran, America would do well to remember the wise words of their first President, George Washington, in his 1796 farewell address to the American people when he said, "The nation which indulges towards another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave." Ukraine and the Middle East also highlight what Freud called the death drive. There are leaders of countries and of military and political organisations who are wedded to and take pleasure in aggression, destruction and killing. Of course, in any war, the innocent will be among the first victims. In the first 24 hours, more than 150 primary school girls and their teachers were killed by a bomb. The 2015 nuclear deal with Iran was not perfect but was working.”
“The Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, was correct when he said that a rupture has taken place in the international order. Benjamin Netanyahu's life-long political ambition was a final showdown with Iran; he now has his wish. It is also obvious that American policy in the Middle East is largely controlled by Israel. The US decision to wage war on Iran was very much an Israeli decision. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, clearly indicated that was so in his first comments on the war.”
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022 was President Putin's war of choice. The current attack on Iran by Israel and the United States is a war of choice by Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump - their war, their choice. The build-up to both wars was very similar. Russian forces massing on the border of Ukraine and American forces massing in the Middle East. President Putin, President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu have much in common. All three are land grabbers and all three worship at the altar of power. "Might is right" is their motto. There is one difference between the two Presidents - President Putin never portrayed himself as a man of peace whereas President Trump fantasises about winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Under international law, there is no legal basis for this war in Iran.”
“The living city initiative in Cork is confined to a very small number of areas, Shandon, St. Luke's, South Parish, and there is now a need for the regeneration of the city centre area. I am looking to know if serious consideration will be given to extending the boundaries of the living city initiative in order to progress and encourage the development of properties which are currently vacant. There is a huge change over the past number of years in the sense of the development of new offices outside of the city centre area. As a result, many of these buildings are unoccupied on the first, second and third floors. I am wondering if the living city initiative could be extended and included in the review of the overall plan in relation to the future of Cork and the taskforce that is to be set up.”
“The Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 is currently going through the Oireachtas. It is also proposed to publish the public health tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products amendment Bill 2026, which will ensure nicotine inhaling products sold do not have eye-catching imagery, and other limitations on the sale of those products. When is it proposed to publish this Bill? It would be helpful if both Bills could go through the Oireachtas at the same time so that the necessary restrictions are put in place to restrict the use of these products, especially by young people.”
“When we see the efficiency of the Cork-Kerry region, we believe that a paediatric dermatologist appointed in that region would help to deal with and not clog up the lists, especially as there are long waiting lists in Dublin already. The Department should engage with HSE south west to see how this can be moved forward as regards appointing someone to deal with this issue. That is basically what I am asking.”
“I fully understand that this matter was probably only given to the Minister of State late last night. I will give her the figures as regards the turnaround in dermatology services for the entire country. One of the things she will see in those figures is the efficiency in the south-west region in dealing with dermatology cases. As I said, the volume is over 17,000 referred, while 10,000 were new and 12,000 were returning patients. With 7.4 consultants, a real effort is being made by the entire team, not just the consultants but also the registrars, senior house officers, SHOs, and nursing staff. The problem is that funding was provided for an additional eight paediatric dermatology consultants in Dublin. There are now ten there but none have been appointed to locations outside of Dublin, which is a mistake.”
“I understand a submission has been made to the HSE in the south-west area seeking appointment of a consultant dermatologist. A clear case has been set out that if this person were located in the Cork-Kerry region, a huge volume of work currently being referred to Dublin could be dealt with in the region and the need for referral would not arise. I ask that this issue be examined by both the Minister of State's office and the HSE at national level. The HSE in the south west cannot make the decision on this; it must be approved at national level. I ask that a consultant paediatric dermatologist be appointed to look after children with a skin disorder or other dermatology issue, which would mean parents do not have the expense of having to travel all the way from south Kerry, west Cork or Cork city to Dublin to access that care.”
“Parents of children with a particular dermatology issue are having to travel to Dublin from the south-west region. This is a huge concern for parents. The first worry for them is that their child has a medical condition that requires an appointment with a consultant, and the planning that requires. In the Cork-Kerry region, they have no alternative but to travel to Dublin. In fairness, there are very few dermatology referrals from Cork to Dublin in an overall context. However, the volume of referrals has increased substantially. The manner in which the service is run in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, SIVUH, is such that it also provides care in Bantry, Tralee and Mallow. How can we deal with this challenge?”
“In the south-west area, which includes Cork and Kerry, there is no consultant dermatologist employed. This issue came to a head recently when a consultant wrote to parents advising that appointments could not be given because no consultant paediatric dermatologist is employed in the Cork-Kerry region. I understand funding was granted for eight additional posts in Dublin, bringing the total number of posts there to more than ten. The number of patients referred to dermatology consultants in the south-west region was more than 17,000 in 2024. There were 10,000 new cases and 12,000 returning cases in that year. There is a huge volume of work being done, with the whole Cork-Kerry region being covered by a total of 7.4 consultant posts. There are more than 750,000 people in the region, a percentage of whom are being referred.”
“There is the risk at all times of judicial review. I fully understand that but once all the t's are crossed and i's dotted, we should not delay in making a decision on this matter. Even if we go out to a tender process in the morning, it will still take time for work to commence. The best example is the Glanmire flood relief scheme in my constituency, where there were no objections. Substantial flooding occurred there in 2010 and 2012 but the work is almost completed there now, and a huge amount of additional work was done as well to make the place safe for both businesses and residents. That work has been done by the OPW, which has done a very good job there. The reason was there was no objection to the scheme and it was able to progress. Twelve years from a major flooding event, that scheme is now almost completed.”
“I fully understand that there were over 1,000 submissions. At least 900 of those were in support of the flood relief programme proceeding. It is extremely important because these are residents who are living in Blackpool. They are third and fourth generation people who are living there and now find they are restricted in what they can do with their property. I ask that this issue now be prioritised. In one particular area in the eastern part of the country, the issue has been going on for 25 years. We have already seen about 15 floods in Blackpool since 1974. I do not want this issue to still be going on in five or ten years' time, with the same discussions happening after major flooding of the area, where property is damaged and people suffer further loss. I fully accept that the Department has to go through procedures.”
“We have had a lot of discussion about floods over the last two weeks. It is the number one item in the news at the moment because of the fact that heavy rainfall is expected in parts of the country. Cork was lucky on this occasion in that we did not get heavy rainfall compared to other parts of the country, but our turn will come when that will happen. We will then have a major problem in Blackpool again. I ask that this issue be given priority.”
“If there is further flooding, they will be further damaged, which they will have to carry themselves. This is one case that needs to be prioritised. We have an additional problem in Blackpool, in that a lot of housing is being built there now on the northern side of the city. As a result of that, there is increased water flow. In fairness to developers, they are doing everything possible to deal with that issue, but overall, you will have a greater water flow into the streams and rivers that flow into Blackpool and the River Bride that comes in and then continues on through an underground tunnel that carries it eventually into the River Lee. We are at risk there. Unless a decision is made about going forward, then the regeneration of Blackpool, which is urgently required, will not occur. I am asking that priority be given to this project.”
“We are now five years later and still have not approved the programme, even though judicial reviews have been submitted. This cannot go on. Blackpool is an old part of Cork city. Yes, there has been development there by Cork City Council and it has put in a lot of apartments and residential development, but the older houses there are at risk at all times. One man was trying to sell his business premises. The sale collapsed on three separate occasions because the people buying it could not get flood protection insurance. Therefore, the banks were not prepared to lend for it. A lot of houses need major refurbishment. It is an old part of the city. A lot of families live there, but there are also businesses that are extremely restricted as regards spending more money because they know they are at risk.”
“I raise the issue of the Blackpool flood relief scheme. Blackpool has had 15 major floods since 1974. Three of them were in 2010, 2012 and 2013. It was decided in 2013 that a flood relief programme would be developed, and the submission was made in 2018 for the Minister for public expenditure to sign the statutory confirmation. The Minister gave the statutory confirmation. We are now into 2021, and then we had a judicial review. I know full well that the Minister had to deal with that judicial review. Unfortunately, it then went back to the drawing board again where further environmental impact studies were done. They were submitted to the Department of public expenditure. Unfortunately, as I understand it, by the time action was taken, the reports were out of date. In 2021, the Minister signed off on this flood relief programme.”
“The Minister for Health and the HSE agreed to provide funding for the first floor of Mallow General Hospital to be developed so 24 beds could be put in place. Work is ongoing. What progress has been made on bringing forward the opening of the development? There is huge pressure on Cork University Hospital and on Mallow as regards extra beds. I understand day beds are being used in Mallow to accommodate inpatients. Can the opening of the 24 beds be brought forward to alleviate the pressure on the hospitals?”
“Even if we set it up now, it will take six or months to produce a report and then there is the implementation and establishing a timescale for it. When is this group going to be set up? It will obviously be a joint approach between the city council, the Government, State agencies and the private sector. It is extremely important that we progress this project.”
“When will this task force or group, which is in the programme for Government, going to be set up to look at the revitalisation of the city centre in Cork, to deal with the whole issue of vacant buildings and also to deal with derelict buildings? How can we work to develop those and to deliver new infrastructure as well? There are a lot of good projects on the cards, such as light rail. For instance, one area of the city where there has been revitalisation is McCurtain Street. However, if you go to McCurtain Street, there are still six or seven vacant buildings there. Likewise, another area to look at is Blackpool. It is part of the city where there has been very little real development in the sense of revitalisation. A task force or group would be important with regard to getting that up and running.”
“In the programme for Government, it was clearly set out that there would be a task force set up to look at the revitalisation of Cork city centre. The Taoiseach has his own problems with calling it a task force, but a group should be set up to look at the revitalisation of the city centre. On Monday of this week, the Taoiseach was in Cork for the turning of the sod on the foundations of a 25-storey building which will have 217 apartments. This will be a welcome residential development in the city. My question is about the revitalisation of the city centre. It is not attractive for people to come into the city centre in real terms. We have already set up a task force for Dublin. It has given its report in which it set out a clear roadmap for delivery.”
“As far as I am concerned, it is a basket case of a reply we will be getting tomorrow because it does not represent what is happening on the ground.”
“I have parents on to me every week now because their children cannot get access to dental care because they are on long waiting lists. In Cork there is a waiting list of over 12 months for anyone who is a medical card patient. We have a situation where a huge number of private dentists who were providing care for medical card patients have now opted out. We have gone from 1,452 down to around 600 dentists who are now providing care for medical card patients. The public service waiting list is increasing because of the additional demand now that the private practices are not offering a service. I do not understand where the Department is getting its figures. We will attend the health committee tomorrow and I have seen the presentation that will be made to us by the representatives of the Department of Health.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I am frustrated by this. The population has increased by over 40% in the past 25 years. September last year was the first time we increased the number of Irish students training for dentistry, but it is not a 40% increase. We need to increase the number of places in UCC and in Trinity College Dublin. How is it that the RCSl was able to open an outreach clinic for which it got funding and UCC, which applied earlier, is still in the negotiation stage? I do not understand why it is being put on the back foot at this stage when UCC has given a clear commitment to expand the number of places available to Irish students. It has to take in people from outside the EU because it can charge full fees and that is how it is able to keep the dental college going. It is important.”
“It depends on what work has to be done. However, if the funding is granted, there would be a really fast delivery and I ask that the Department give consideration to providing the funding in 2026 so UCC and Cork dental hospital can get on with this project.”
“The other two dental colleges, Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork, UCC, also need to increase their numbers. This is about a dental outreach clinic that would provide training. Detailed costings have been submitted and it is unfortunate that it has now been three years since the submission was made and no progress has happened on it. The new dental college that opened in the RCSI in September has a community outreach clinic up and running. I do not understand why funding has not been provided for the centre in Cork. We have a team of professionals who are committed to developing and delivering this and what is needed - we have identified the building - is the funding so we can progress this project. When the funding is allocated, the project can be up and running in seven to 12 months.”
“It has worked closely with the Department and the HSE and a lot of progress has been made in dental care in recent years but for instance, in the dental hospital in Cork, there are 91 chairs and that number of people are working at any one time, learning the skills required to practice as dentists. Our problem with dental services is that we have 44 dentists per 100,000 people. Germany and Italy have double that number per 100,000. More than 104,000 children are on waiting lists for school screening and there has been a 31% reduction in the number of dentists in the HSE. We have a major challenge because we have not increased the number of dental training places. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI, opened a new training facility in September 2025, but that is the first major change that has been made in more than 30 years.”
“I am back again to talk about the dental issue. This time it is about Cork dental hospital which made a submission to the HSE and Department of Health more than three years ago. It wants to open an outreach hub that would have ten dental chairs. The idea is that it would provide care for a large number of people and at the same time provide training for students. The building has been identified. It may have to go through a further process before it is finalised, but a clear plan of action has been set out to improve the dental training the hospital is providing to its students.”
“As the grant has not been paid out, builders have not been paid and it is now causing a huge problem in the building industry and for the people who took the risk of buying the properties.”
“The vacant property grant was introduced quite some time ago but changes were made in September 2025 where a charge is now required to be registered by the local authority. As a result, there is now a huge number of people for whom the grant will not be paid before 31 December. In particular, I am talking about property in the Cork City Council area. A mortgage and deed of charge have to be submitted to the council, which has to lodge it for registration and a grant will not be paid out until a dealing number is issued. No process has been put in place to expedite the payment of the grant. We now have people who borrowed money to buy property and to have it renovated and brought into use and they are now not able to borrow any more money.”
“This is an extremely important programme, and I welcome it. To take a slightly different angle, I am disappointed by the lack of joined-up thinking in our universities about offering joint courses at universities in Northern Ireland and in the South. For instance, I remember when I was Lord Mayor of Cork I travelled to Shanghai to set up a link between UCC and two universities in Shanghai, but we do not seem to have that connection with the third level institutions in Northern Ireland. The Department of higher education should try to expand that. A student could do three years in UCD and one year in a university in Northern Ireland or three years in UCC and one year in Northern Ireland. I do not think we have done enough in that whole area and it is very important we develop it.”
“We have a problem, not in the Minister's Department but in the Department of Health. We previously had over 1,250 dentists working privately and providing care for people who had medical cards. The number of dentists in that area is down to 600. Likewise, the number of dentists employed directly by the HSE has dropped from over 300 in 2014 to 250. That is in the context of a huge growth in population. We have huge challenges in the dental area. The other issue relates to schools. In the programme where dentists visit schools and provide advice to students, the number of students being seen has dropped dramatically. I had parents contact me in the past week whose children first saw a dentist in secondary school. We need to increase the numbers so we can deal with the growing demand.”
“I appreciate the work that is being done. I was in the dental college in the past two weeks, and it was acknowledged that money is being provided to purchase equipment and upgrade the facilities. That is much appreciated by the dental college. The make-up in Cork is 25 Irish students and 31 non-European students. Part of the reason for that is that the college needs to get the funding in to support the system. I also visited the Blackpool facility where it is proposed to put in ten dental chairs. The cost of that is approximately €4.6 million. The submission for that was made in 2022. Between the Minister's Department and the Department of Health, can that programme be put in place so we can grow the number of training places for Irish and European students? It needs to be made a priority.”
“I have raised this matter on a few occasions previously. Will the Minister outline what action is being taken to increase the percentage of places available on the dental training course in UCC, given that less than half the places on the current programme are occupied by Irish students, and that we need to increase the number of qualified dentists in this country?”
“Currently, approximately 600 dentists are providing care dental care for medical card patients. The number was over 1,200 when dentists were operating more privately. I have found out that Cork university dental hospital cannot take in medical card patients. It can do so if they are referred in by accident and emergency or by another dental practice, but it cannot take them in directly because the hospital does not have a GMS panel number. The hospital would be quite prepared to take on medical card patients if it had that number. In view of the substantial drop in the number of dentists operating privately who are prepared to take on medical card patients and the huge influx of people from the Kerry area, for instance, coming in and looking for dentists in the Cork area, I ask that this issue be looked at.”
“It is not just about suffering the illness, but also about the trauma of dealing with the difficulties during that period. We need to take that into account as well. I maintain that we should put a scheme in place, because we are talking about a very small number of workers, to give them the support. A lot of nursing staff, doctors and care assistants have young families and mortgages to pay. The insurance companies, where they may have mortgage protection, are not prepared to cover them. Those are the difficulties that some people I have come across have had to deal with. I know the Government seems to have made a decision on this, but I ask that this be reviewed and that we see what further mechanisms can be put in place to support these workers.”
“For clarification, is the Minister of State saying that in respect of the 159 people getting supports, from 31 December they will be entitled to get pay for a further three months and half pay thereafter? She is. The issue still arises whereby there are occupational illnesses but we have not put long Covid under those criteria. We need to do so because it is something new and we always need to amend definitions as changes arise. This has been a fundamental change. I will give the Minister of State an example in relation to a member of my own family who got Covid and works as a geriatric psychiatric nurse. She was lucky she had a full recovery. When she went back to work, ten of the patients she had been working with had died in the two weeks she was off as a result of having Covid. That is the kind of difficulty that staff faced.”
“Now they find the State saying, "Sorry, not our problem. We have given as much support as we can but we are not prepared to continue with that support after 31 December." A mechanism should be put in place for this exceptional circumstance. We always need to change the law. We always need to make sure we can adequately provide for those who have given their all to the system, especially the health system. I ask for the change to be made and for them to be given the necessary support.”
“It should be remembered that if you are self-employed or privately employed, a lot of companies have illness packages in place in order that if you were to suffer an injury at work, that support scheme would remain in place until such time as you were able to go back to work. That does not apply in relation to the HSE. Yes, it applies for a period, but not after a three-month period. It was extended here in relation to Covid. I think it should be continued after 31 December because these are people who helped and supported patients who had Covid. They had to work through very difficult times providing healthcare to a large percentage of the population when everyone else was required to stay at home, including from schools, which were closed at this time. Yet they still went out to work, took the risks and provided the care.”
“It is not treated as an occupational illness here and it needs to be. A new ILO convention, No. 192, requires benefits and protections for workers who become ill from occupational exposure to biological hazards. There is a European Commission recommendation to recognise Covid-19 as an occupational disease for healthcare and front-line workers. In addition, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has clearly set out its position. These are front-line workers who gave everything to the system through a very difficult time, and we are now saying, "Not our problem", and that they should go onto a social welfare scheme, even though a lot of them have mortgages and young families. They are finding it difficult to accept this. It is time we stepped up to the line and gave the necessary support.”
“As the Minister of State is well aware, a very small number of staff who worked within the HSE and the medical services during a very difficult time, when Covid was there - 159, I understand - have long Covid. They are getting support from the HSE, but from 31 December of this year, that support will stop. I ask that serious consideration be given to putting in place a mechanism to give these people the support they need. They were the front-line workers. I have one letter here from a lady who wrote to the health committee - for today's meeting, in fact - and she set out that 40 staff members where she was working got Covid. She is now long term affected by Covid. It is clear that there have been a number of decisions internationally whereby recognition has been given to long Covid as an occupational illness.”
“I want to raise the issue of building childcare facilities, which are conditional on a lot of planning permissions, especially in major developments. We are finding that facilities are not being built. Even if they are, the rent being demanded for them is too high for people to go in and for it to be viable. It is time now that we looked at this as a Government to see what can be done to make sure we have adequate childcare facilities built, especially in new housing estates. Where planning permission is granted for 40 or 50 houses, there should be co-ordination about putting in place adequate childcare facilities because parents are now finding it extremely difficult. They cannot access childcare facilities, and people who want to provide childcare cannot afford the rents that are being demanded. We need to tackle this immediately.”
“I am still to come back in. To come back to the issue of the age profile of the people in farming, I am not sure at European level we are doing enough on that. From an Irish point of view, this is a huge challenge. I was talking to someone recently who lives in an area where there are four major dairy farms within a mile of one another and all of them will be gone within the next five years. I am not sure we are doing enough forward planning on that area.”
“The Minister referred to the period post-CAP 2027 and the challenges there. CAP has given support to farmers in Ireland and across the EU. The question now is what will happen post 2027. There is also a scenario arising with those involved in farming. We have an older age profile. What is being done to try to keep people in the sector across Europe? This is not just an Irish problem but one right across Europe. The issue is that if we do not have people involved in agriculture, we then have a difficulty with food security. Is enough being done at European level to make sure we have a sufficient number of people producing the goods in order that we have food security for all member states?”
“Where are we with the Mercosur issue? The Minister outlined that the same level of regulations do not apply. We in Ireland have strict protocols and regulations in place, yet we are allowing products to come on the market that will not necessarily have the same level of scrutiny. If this goes ahead, we will be in a situation where there is an unfair set of regulations for Irish and EU producers compared to producers from outside the European Union. Are we satisfied with that? Is enough analysis being done on the regulations in place for those countries?”
“I am concerned about the whole dental service. There used to be over 1,200 dentists working privately who offered to provide a public service to medical card holders, but that figure has dropped to under 600. Since 2012 or 2013, the number of dentists employed within the HSE has dropped from over 300 to slightly over 250. Even though there has been a huge increase in our population, the number of dentists publicly employed by the HSE is less than it was ten years ago. We need to deal with this issue. Some people are waiting up to five years for orthodontic treatment. This needs to be dealt with by the Department. We need to get our head out of the sand on this matter. I am contacted every week by a huge number of people who cannot get access to dental care for their children. This really needs to be tackled.”
“It also ties in with the Cork-Limerick road and the importance of that development. We are 20 years on and we need to make sure that project moves on in the same way as this bypass road for Mallow. With regard to the volume of traffic travelling on that road, some mornings at 5.30, as I am driving to the station to take the train from Mallow to Dublin, there is a volume of traffic coming against me, even at 5.30 in the morning. It is extremely important that two major centres of population, Limerick and Cork, do not have serious road infrastructure in place. We need to make sure that grows, that this plan is also put in place and that a planning application goes in for that as well as the relief road in 2026.”
“I thank the Minister of State. As he knows, Mallow is quite close to Cork city. There is a huge volume of traffic now passing through Mallow because it is coming from either the Killarney side, the Fermoy-Mitchelstown side or the Limerick side. It is all coming into Mallow town. We need to prioritise this project because it is really having an adverse effect on the town as regards the volume of traffic. On the bypass road, I understand there was an issue in relation to the Gas Networks Ireland line, but surely national authorities should know where major strategic lines are? We know where overhead cables are. How did a delay like this occur? I am concerned that we will have further delays unless we make sure we have all the t's crossed and i's dotted when we are submitting for planning.”
“I know we have had good weather in the past number of weeks, but we need to get the message out there. We need to get a greater take-up.”