Joe Neville
Kildare North · Fine Gael · Ireland
“With the pyrite mediation scheme closing in just four months' time, on 30 November, some people in my constituency have real concerns. Yesterday, I met two constituents who highlighted the fact that their neighbours had been impacted by pyrite in the past and they are concerned about how it might impact them in future.”
“One of the largest semiconductor plants world-wide is only a few hundred metres from my house. It is a large employer where a multitude of my friends, neighbours and even family, at times, have been employed. Intel has been hugely important in north Kildare and, indeed, internationally.”
“We are ahead of the curve from a European point of view in north Kildare in that we have Intel, which many other countries in Europe do not have. We have a knowledge base and a history. Intel has been there since I was a child. With that local knowledge and capability, we want to ensure Ireland stays a step ahead.”
“The issue I want to raise today is the national semiconductor plan. A lot of people wonder what exactly semiconductors are and what exactly that means because it can be a catch-all name in itself. Realistically, they are the chips that power modern electronics and modern computing.”
“Whatever element it is, its support to the State is enormous and that is something of which I think we are all very conscious. Once again, with its importance and the key impacts of the national semiconductor plan in mind, what I am specifically asking about today is the progress and plans we have regarding the clusters, growth and employ…”
“I welcome the response, as well as the many announcements that have come in and the efforts that have been made. Even going back to last year's budget, one thing I highlighted beforehand and discussed was the importance of the R and D tax credit.”
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“This site has been a cornerstone of high-value employment and innovation in Ireland for decades. Any uncertainty around its future is felt far beyond the gates of the campus. It will be felt as far away as Mullingar and all those other places. It impacts local businesses, local schools and everything else. This is a key focus of mine.”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. It is great the timeline has been brought forward. The Minister is conscious of time, no more than myself, and therefore, it is a real positive that July is the new date. While the Minister and his team are doing significant work, there are challenges. As someone who has worked as an accountant with both large Irish multinationals and many smaller businesses, I deeply understand the difficulties businesses face and how marginal changes in costs, such as some of those costs we have seen, or indeed regulation, can tip the scales, especially in sectors where Ireland needs to compete globally. Something of which I am very conscious is the growing concern locally in Leixlip about the recent reports of possible job cuts at Intel, not just in Ireland but across the company worldwide.”
“When is it envisaged that a whole-of-government action plan on competitiveness and productivity will be finalised in line with the programme for Government? As the Minister knows, there is obviously a lot of news happening, some of which has just been discussed, in respect of the different issues with the economy. Will he go through that?”
“However, I also wanted to speak strongly about the need for the key items that were raised in that plan to be delivered in my area of north Kildare and to speak on behalf of my constituents. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, for taking the time to be here today. As I said, it is great to be able to speak to him in this way. I wish him the best of luck in the coming years of his term.”
“North Kildare has played its part and is ready to continue to play its part. I, for one, will be at the forefront of that. I have done it as a councillor. I have worked on local area plans. I have delivered houses in Leixlip, where we have seen thousands more houses delivered in my time as a councillor. I have done the same for other local area plans in Celbridge. I have pushed for county development plans to have more houses. Yes, we have allowed them because, ultimately, we know that with housing, we need to find places for everyone to live. However, at the same time, in our area, we also need to get the infrastructure delivered behind that. I wanted to give my message today because I am in favour of the plan and I know the plan needs to change.”
“Clane is a town that is growing and growing and traffic congestion is a huge issue. At Castletown House, which was the major amenity in the north east of the county, public access was lost. Three years ago, it had 1 million visitors but that is now down to a trickle because we have lost access from the M4. While we need these reports, we also need delivery. Strategic planning must result in shovel-ready projects that are properly funded and fast-tracked for areas that have borne the brunt of previous unbalanced growth. That is why I am in favour of the revised planning framework. I do not feel that north Kildare has benefited in the way it should have. We must redress the imbalance not by slowing growth in our county but by accelerating the delivery of infrastructure. We will then be able to take more.”
“We are pulling more than our weight economically in Kildare yet, on the ground, I feel we are being left behind when we talk about investment in infrastructure. The key deficits must be addressed. Today, in the House, I will call out a few of those places. Celbridge, a town where the population might have been 1,000 people 30 or 40 years ago, is now home to 23,000 people yet it only has one bridge across the River Liffey. The need for the second bridge was there 30 years ago but it still has not been given. In Maynooth, LIHAF funding was put in place in 2010 but the relief road has not been delivered. There is talk of bringing DART+ out to Maynooth yet only a few miles down the road, there is a train station sitting in Kilcock that we are not planning to bring DART+ to.”
“housing development should be infrastructure led and primarily based on employment growth, accessibility by sustainable transport modes and quality of life ... I fully support all of those principles but, at the same time, while we are seeing those principles on paper, so far, they have not been continued in north Kildare. Therefore, while I support the document and everything in it, I call for it to be delivered when this actually gets rolled out. North Kildare is home to world-class employers, such as Intel in Leixlip, of which we have heard a lot in the news in the last two weeks in a way that we would not have liked, and the Kerry Group in Naas, as well as the rapidly growing research and education footprint of Maynooth University.”
“Towns like Leixlip, Celbridge, Maynooth, Naas, Clane and Kilcock have, to an extent, become commuter hubs and, as I have referenced before, are absorbing wave after wave of housing development without the commensurate delivery of roads, schools, transport links or community amenities. We are seeing the results of decades of, if not necessarily a planning failure, then definitely a lack of implementation of the required infrastructure. Houses were built first and everything else was left to play catch-up, and in many cases, the catch-up has still to be done. Let us be very clear. The framework does acknowledge this issue. It states: ... local infrastructure needs, including in particular social and community infrastructure in areas such as education and amenity, and addressing the legacy of rapid growth, must be prioritised. [...] ...”
“The varied plan on page 27 clearly states that the mid-east region, which has Kildare at its heart, has experienced population growth at more than twice the national average in recent decades. However, when we look at the detail, the imbalance becomes stark. I did a word count and, in the entire framework, Dublin is mentioned 169 times, Cork is mentioned 94 times and Galway is mentioned 71 times. These are the three largest counties in the country. County Kildare, despite being the fourth largest county, is referenced just seven times. That disparity speaks volumes to me.”
“I congratulate Deputy John Cummins on his role as Minister of State. He has been there for a few months but it is my first time speaking to him directly in the Chamber. Deputy Cummins was a great councillor friend of mine. Obviously, he is from Waterford and I am from Kildare but we were great friends for so many years that is a great honour to be able to speak to him in this way today. I want to support the revised national planning framework but also to call for its full and fair implementation, particularly, as the Minister of State will know, in regions close to my heart like north Kildare, where the gap between population growth and infrastructure delivery has ever widened.”
“The Irish economy as structured needs a vibrant and international trade environment. If the world economic order continues to fluctuate, there are perilous waters ahead. Exports could be hit, investments could be paused and jobs could be lost. That is our reality. We must therefore keep cool heads and not overreact. We must work closely where we can with our EU trade partners and the USA for a resolution. As I said, America has been a great ally to western Europe and despite the actions of one administration, it should remain so. We must not burn any bridges or speak any vitriol. We must remain measured and calm. Ireland has been governed well and is stable, so we can get through this economic shock. We must remain steady and poised, ready for what is coming but also hopeful for a new morning in America when this issue can be resolved.”
“I recognise that. Our history of emigration has ensured that many of the people in this Chamber have relatives in the US. Despite all of this, our relationship is in flux. We do not know where Ireland or Europe sits with this administration. Formerly friends, some European countries were allies of the US in past wars and its closest world trade partners but the US President's Administration treats EU nations in a way that does no befit previous relationships. The concept of tariffs has never been positive. Blanket tariffs imposed without thought or structure can be catastrophic and can have dangerous, unintended consequences. Trade relations can be damaged and international relations realigned. This state of flux is dangerous, especially for a small open economy like ours.”
“"I believe in America" is the opening line of "The Godfather" movie and as the undertaker Bonasera said, I too believe in America. Brought up in a western European post-war world, many of us saw America as a beacon of prosperity and hope, a vision of opportunity. Over the years and through different US administrations, we have not always agreed with American presidents but we have broadly supported America. In my lifetime, the culture and influences of American music and movies have not only pervaded our lives but our economy has been lifted by the great US corporate names of Intel, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pfizer, Apple and Microsoft. In my home town of Leixlip alone, I have seen at first hand the impact of Intel and Hewlett-Packard on the local and national economy. All of this to say that America has been a great friend of ours.”
“I wish to express my condolences on the passing of Mick O'Dwyer, a legend of the GAA who gave us great days in Kildare. I thank the Minister for all his information on the tariffs last night. Coming from Leixlip, we have Intel and the Kerry Group in our area in north Kildare. I saw a lot of the fears of my peers last night, the people I worked with in the business sector. What level of engagement has the Minister had with the Minister for trade in the past number of weeks? How does he see that continuing in the coming days?”
“I will continue to ensure that there are opportunities for our young people to be diverted from crime and that they have all the opportunities they need to live successful lives.”
“How we support them will be evidence of the success or otherwise of this Government. As a parent, a coach and a public representative, in the past I have done the best I could locally. It is important on the national stage to continue to push that forward. I will push the Government where I can to get involved with our young people, be it in the form of outreach on football pitches or in community centres. That is one way. Supporting our gardaí is another. It is incumbent on us to ensure that there are opportunities for all our young people in any way they want or need. Ireland is a successful country. We talk about the wealth we have but we need to make sure it is channelled to the right places.”
“I spoke yesterday in the Dáil and to the Taoiseach about the importance of supporting local gardaí and ensuring that we have the numbers. Part of that is community supports. That is why it is so important. If we do not have gardaí in place, we have to respond to issues after they happen. It is about prevention. We are trying to prevent people from going down a certain path. That is where the community garda is important. We know of the involvement of different groups with young people. In North Kildare, I see the importance of In Sync, previously Kildare Youth Services. It is involved with families, groups, community centres and individual estates. The work it does can stop young people going down certain paths. That is where we want to get to. Young people are the future of the country.”
“A number of Deputies referred to the need for facilities. As someone who has been heavily involved in their community as director of both a youth centre and a sports centre, I know the importance of sports facilities. However, sport is not a solution for every child. A child who does not want to play sport might also not want to be in these centres. They want to just hang out with their friends. We need to reach everyone. If there are indications that a young person may be going down the wrong path, community gardaí are important. I see the importance of community gardaí in my area in Leixlip, Celbridge and Maynooth. They do Trojan work. The knowledge they have of the individual people and all of those in the community, be it councillors, TDs, people who work in shops, schools and young people, is impressive. What they do is impressive.”
“As many of us know, as I stated last week on a similar issue and as Deputy Roche alluded to, we face difficulties with social media. It is one of the new issues we face. No previous generation has ever faced those sorts of complications and the influences that come with them. That is part of the problem. As a parent and a coach who works in schools, I see the difficulties facing young people. We also know the opportunities and education facilities that need to be available, and we are aware that we need to encourage young people. There is full employment. We have a good education system that is the envy of other countries. The skill sets can be there. We need to push all our people and show them all the opportunities – educational courses, skills, plumbing trades – we can show them. These are important.”
“It is always difficult to follow Deputy Ward, especially when he has been so knowledgeable of and engaging on the topic under discussion. I have been listening for the past couple of hours, both up in my office and since I came into the Chamber. There were similarities with what many people said, but I was struck by one statement. Someone said that this is quite a simple problem. It is anything but simple. I will not say who said it, but it is anything but a simple problem. It is very complex. The solutions are many, and the causes are also many. The situation is difficult to break down. As Deputy Ward said, there are some opportunities. He said it will not be easy; we know it will not be easy or cheap. We know we have to make an effort.”
“I know the Minister is on top of this and I know it is something he is dealing with, but it is important for us all to discuss it, to raise it and to see how we can progress it best into the future. I thank the him for his time and the detail he has given.”
“I thank the Minister again for his response. This Government and in fairness, this country, has always had a very strong agricultural backbone. It is hugely important to our name around the world and that is why we are here on both sides of the House to support it. In this time where renewables are changing and the world is changing around us, we have to take every positive step both from a renewables perspective and an agricultural perspective. This is about setting out the plans such that, into the future, they meet holistically and well and that we are actually planning for the future as opposed to having something meet us afterwards and deciding we could have done something better.”
“We are very clear on certain segments and certain sections, be it commercial land, but we are now seeing solar farms. That is why it has become a very hot topic in our area.”
“I welcome the Minister's response. He mentioned a number of topics and the very positive innovation introduced in the previous Dáil, which means there is no need for planning permission for the installation of solar panels on barns and sheds around the country. That has been really positive. Through the TAMS process, a lot of people continue to take advantage of that. That is something of which I am very complimentary. At the heart of the response was that discussion about the competition between the importance of the land for tillage and the question around solar farms. That is where we are seeing it arising. As someone who was a councillor for many years, I have been through a lot of county development plans, zonings and everything else and where solar farms fit in that.”
“I congratulate the Minister on his appointment. As a fellow Kildare man, we are obviously having more success off the pitch than on it but well done to him. Have the Departments of agriculture and local government considered a policy on land use development due to the increased competition for arable lands in areas such as north Kildare - I use my own rural constituency as an example - for new technologies such as solar farms?”
“Given the Government’s commitment to increasing Garda recruitment in the coming five years, what specific steps are we taking to ensure north Kildare receives an adequate allocation of new gardaí to reflect its growing population and policing needs?”
“As someone from a Garda family, my father having served in the force and my brother currently serving, I know at first hand the vital role that an effective and well-resourced Garda service plays in keeping our community safe. However, in north Kildare, where towns like Kilcock, Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip and Naas are experiencing rapid growth, Garda numbers have not kept pace. Celbridge, with its population of 23,000, has a Garda station that opens for an hour every day. Maynooth, even with its university, has a station with similar hours. We are down in sergeant numbers and, despite receiving five new recruits, we are losing five members, so the balance will be the same. At the moment in Kildare, there is no crime prevention officer.”
“Kildare County Council and An Bord Pleanála have taken a view on this and they have an understanding of the rules and regulations. They are the experts and they have said it is not an exempt development. I again ask that the Department look at it closely, make a swift decision and bring this to a conclusion. The area has been changed, conservation of the area has been damaged and the residents deserve better. We need to work with everyone and there is a responsibility on the Department to ensure not only that everybody is looked after but that the local people are given a fair hearing and there is an understanding of what is happening at this location.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response. I will focus on the planning issues and the ongoing work. This is a beautiful area with a big house and beautiful old trees that were destroyed for no reason. The pictures before and after show a development in a quiet area that has ultimately been destroyed from a conservation perspective. Matters have got out of hand in the area on that side. I take the Minister of State's point that "regulatory matters related to planning are between the local authority and the accommodation service provider". I fully agree. In this case the local authority has said it is not an exempt development and it has been backed up by An Bord Pleanála. This is not about who is there, but about process, regulation and how our planning laws work.”
“It has caused confusion and heartache for many good individuals who work hard and live in the community, nine of whom were issued with letters to go to the High Court in regard to an injunction. I think four of the nine residents, as reported in the Sunday Independent , were not even present on the day it was claimed they were blockading work going on. Good citizens of Ireland are being dealt with in this manner and being brought before the High Court in regard to an injunction. I want the Department to act swiftly, get involved and ensure this item is brought to a swift conclusion.”
“We have continued to outline that to the Department. It has been explained to the Department, yet it has continued to be involved with the group that is going against the planning regulations. It continued to the point where Uisce Éireann arrived to carry out a water connection, but even it confirmed it is not required to service unauthorised developments and a connection to an unauthorised development would be considered prejudicial to public health. The connection is on hold as engineers await the decision on a planning issue. That shows that all the elements of the State believe this is not an exempted development and have continued to operate in that vein. Unfortunately, things have escalated and this has caused difficulty for the residents.”
“On 2 June 2023, Kildare County Council referred the question to An Bord Pleanála. Although it took a long time - a year and five months - on 5 November 2024, An Bord Pleanála confirmed that the change of use of Ryevale House to IP accommodation and the related works are both developments that are not exempted for the purpose of the Planning and Development Acts. Thus, Kildare County Council and An Bord Pleanála back up the residents' association, which shows what is going on is in contravention of our planning rules. As a councillor, I always knew, looked at and worked with our planning rules. They are the basis of all developments in County Kildare and across the country. We have to fundamentally look at them and continue to follow them. What has happened here goes against the spirit of that.”
“On 2 February 2023, I was in the group of members of the Ryevale Lawns Residents' Association that met then Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, in Leinster House, and explained that the use of Ryevale House, which is a private dwelling and protected structure, would be in breach of planning legislation. Kildare County Council issued a determination under section 5 that the change in use and development was not an exempted development and required planning permission. That was more than two years ago today. Kildare County Council issued a formal warning letter to the developer and has continued to deal with the development along those lines. On 31 March 2023, the Department wrote to the residents' association stating that it disagreed with Kildare County Council and ultimately that it would be wrong.”
“I am the first speaker since yesterday's events. It is nice to be able to speak in a proper forum. After what happened yesterday, business continues. The item I will speak about is local to me. It is Ryevale House, which is a period house in Leixlip and in the past two years there have been major issues surrounding it in the locality. I will give a quick timeline to give the Minister of State a bit of perspective. On 27 January 2023, the Department informed the local public representatives of the intention to accommodate international protection, IP, applicants in Ryevale House, which is a private dwelling built in the 18th century and included in the record of protected structures maintained by Kildare County Council.”
“We will never have the largest army in the world or get overly involved in conflicts, but we have played a significant neutral role. That enables us to be in a position where people trust our view and judgment. We should continue on that road as long as possible to make sure people know that we are a voice that can be trusted. That is standing to us. We are taking keen stands that are not necessarily popular in other areas. We have done so in respect of Gaza and Ukraine. That is testament to what we are doing. We know the world is in flux, but the Government has shown over the past number of months and years that it can take its own international role. As long as it continues like that, we will be in good hands.”
“It has been highly beneficial to a number of small companies, especially during the time of Covid. It has had a major impact on developing companies and enabling them to trade in foreign areas, which is very important. There has been a lot of heated discussion about tariffs. Who knows what will happen? I am very happy with our country's approach, which the Tánaiste spoke to. He will wait to see what will happen, as will Europe. Ultimately, these things are in a vacuum. We should not get too carried away with it until we see what stands out. This discussion is not just about international trade, but international security. Ireland has played a huge role in international security in its own very determined way over the 100 years since the foundation of the State. It has had its own massive impact.”
“In that regard, the trade benefit is going the other way to the US. Once again, it shows how Ireland has grown and developed. Kerry Group is not the only large company, not just in north Kildare but throughout the country, that is working in the US. Obviously, we have trade relations with other countries, but that is one we should be very conscious of at the moment because it is in the news. That is the reason we should always keep the doors open, not to mind the opportunities north Kildare gets from a myriad of other smaller industries, including the horse racing industry. I have worked as a financial controller for revenue at Dublin Airport and I have worked in smaller companies. My colleague, Deputy Timmins, alluded to the importance of Enterprise Ireland. I have worked a lot with Enterprise Ireland.”
“Other people might say that we should not go over or should not do this or that, but America is a major trading partner of ours and has a huge impact on us. I grew up in Leixlip. Intel came there when I was quite young. That was a big thing. I remember that Digital had left County Galway, but Intel came to Leixlip. It had a major transformative impact, not only on north Kildare, but on the nation, with its footprint and all the taxes and everything that came with it. It has been of great benefit in providing jobs for generations of people and supporting schools. I see that impact as a benefit of international trade. We also see the other side of trade in north Kildare. Although it originated in County Kerry, and I give a nod to my Kerry colleagues, Kerry Group's headquarters are now in north Kildare.”
“It is a great opportunity to speak again. I must be getting used to being in the Dáil, as this is the third time in two days. The issue we are speaking about is important to the country. The St. Patrick's Day festivities really brought home to us the opportunities we have as a country to discuss and to use our soft power. It was important and potentially very beneficial. As we know, the US is going through a change in administration, which creates its own changes. I will not use the word "difficulties", but it could end up being difficult. It is important we get to use our soft power. That is something we did well over the past week. It stood to us. As a nation, we were lucky to be in that position. It is something we should not take for granted.”
“The glorification of dominance, aggression and subjugation of women through social media must be ended. What more can we do? What is the Government doing to tackle the rise of toxic masculinity and its detrimental influence?”
“We all saw last weekend the worst of toxic masculinity with Conor McGregor being invited to speak on the world stage on our national day of celebration. People like Conor McGregor, the Irish version of Andrew Tate, promote hyperaggressive, misogynistic and often violent forms of masculinity. As a parent and as someone who coaches underage teams, works with local schools and is a director of a local youth and community centre, I deal with a lot of young people of all ages. I know from speaking to friends and parents across County Kildare that they are conscious of the potential impact of these social media-type figures on their children. Currently, on our television screens, we see the impact depicted quite harrowingly in the new Netflix series, “Adolescence”.”
“While the Minister is here, I ask him to keep a focus on the requirement for the delivery of the key infrastructure for north Kildare, including the delivery of affordable housing and to ensure that the people in new affordable homes serviced by proper infrastructure will live in sustainable communities. I am thankful and delighted to have had the opportunity to speak in front of the Minister today.”
“These are all key issues that also need to be behind a wider commission report and structure like this. If we just put up houses and more houses in certain areas, we will not necessarily have the community supports behind them. Ultimately, steps need to be taken. Sometimes, however, steps taken in haste can be taken incorrectly. We have seen this in the past. We know we need to deliver on the 256,000 homes deficit from when the report was initiated. We know the deficit will continue if we do not succeed in driving increased housing provision every year. It is in the programme for Government and is the key focus.”
“This is something else in the report that we really need to focus on. It was probably not in the report to the degree I would have liked, but, again, it is something I am heavily emphasising in my role. We could say it is up to the councils to deliver these elements, but it is really national funding that needs to come in behind local community groups and councils, which actually deliver things like swimming pools. There was maybe one in Lucan, but we can see there were difficulties getting that out there. There is no swimming pool in north Kildare at all. There is one in Naas, but there is no such facility in the whole of north Kildare. Where are the football pitches going to be to serve all the new houses in the likes of Maynooth, Celbridge and those places?”
“I know that Kieran O'Donnell, when he was a Minister of State in the area, would have had the same opinion, would have pushed for it and would have strongly focused on the delivery and roll-out of more affordable housing. It is a key issue. The average cost of a home, as I said, is over €450,000, and that is all across the north east of the county. The local authority home loan is a bit of a help but it will not get you to that point. Looking at housing in north Kildare in particular, we have Maynooth University, which is expanding, but if we are restricted as to what housing we can put in the likes of Maynooth, all we are doing is making it harder and harder for us to be able to have enough housing for the area. On the wider point, many of us have families. Even if we do not, we have our elderly, so we need parks and community spaces.”
“Gardaí, nurses and people who might be in marriages now need second houses. We need to make sure there is affordable housing available for those people, and that has not been the case. In north Kildare, we can see there has been movement. I see it locally, in my home area, and where I have been a councillor, where Clúid have been involved and where we have other housing agencies. The council has done well and worked with local builders to get extra housing, but then what we see is that the other housing in the same areas is there for €500,000 or €600,000. Many people in normal, good, strong jobs and couples cannot get the mortgages to buy those houses. We need to extend and make larger the affordable housing schemes. While they are welcome, they need to be rolled out, and there needs to be stronger Government support.”
“We know it has been needed but it should have been put in much earlier. That is where the tie-in with the councils and the Government, specifically the Department of Transport, needs to be. The other area on which I will focus is affordable housing, which is key in an area like mine, in north Kildare. It is key across the country so I will not say it is just in my area but I will use the example of where we had an affordable housing scheme in Leixlip, close to where I live, in an estate where we rezoned the land under the most recent local area plan. As all Members know, the market value of the property has to be under €360,000 to avail of affordable housing, but we cannot get the home loans for the same amount. There seems to be a bit of a disconnect in what is available for the public.”
“That is where the commission report could have gone into greater detail and provided really specific examples. I did not really see that in the report. I have expressed these sentiments since I got elected and came here, and that is what I have been pushing through from a Government perspective. I know I am sitting here on the Government benches but I am trying to give solutions to individual issues and to show, as councillors, and now as TDs, where we can deliver not just housing but sustainable housing. In towns like Lucan, close to me, and we see it even in Clane, where a bridge is built and houses come and traffic is at a gridlock, we know it is not sustainable. In Adamstown, a link road has been built in through Celbridge. That link road has come in many years after those houses have been built.”
“The town still has only one bridge. Does that make for sustainable communities? It does not. Sustainable communities are dealt with in one of the final chapters of the report. Critical infrastructure must be provided to enable us to deliver housing. I am thrilled and honoured to have been elected to the Dáil, but I want to continue to work on the projects on which I worked as a councillor. As part of the local area plan in Celbridge, we put in a submission for a second bridge. We know that it had to come with zoning of land. Until a second bridge is provided, we cannot open land up for development in Celbridge. There is a perfect example of where if we get a bridge built, zoning can be opened up and we can deliver over 2,000 houses. That is where there has to be a key combination.”