Mark Duffy
Labour Panel · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I thank the Minister of State for being here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, and for her detailed reply. While it is disappointing to hear the news here, at least it provides clarity and certainty for the project promoters and, indeed, staff and various stakeholders involved, many of whom have been in touch with me and are really…”
“I call on Bord na Móna, which has powered the community down through the years but is at risk of dividing the community now, to step up and engage effectively with the community. It should not be using community volunteers as a front to push its own agenda.”
“We should not waste people's time or, indeed, taxpayers' money. The waste there of taxpayers' money resides in the fact that resources are going to be spent elsewhere to offer a medium-term solution, while the longer term solution has gone through the procurement, planning and design stages.”
“-----and acknowledge my sister, Councillor Marie-Thérèse Duffy, in the Visitors Gallery? I thank her for being here, for being willing to replace me on Mayo County Council last year and for her support to date. I appreciate it. I also appreciate the achievement of Mayo GAA, which has really united the county.”
“I acknowledge the community in Crossmolina. I attended a public meeting last night that was attended by over 200 people who are very dissatisfied with the proposals by Bord na Móna to build a route around the town of Crossmolina. Crossmolina has a vibrant, active community. There has been a lack of public consultation on this proposal.”
“I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, for being here to discuss this very important topic. I acknowledge the work the staff of Tusla do in County Mayo and across the country in very challenging circumstances and with very vulnerable people. They respond when others cannot and do not.”
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“The standard of line painting right across the country is not good enough. I can only speak for Mayo where I keep a close eye on it and I have asked the local authority to purchase a line painting machine. Basically, many of these disabled bays, loading bays and dropped kerbs at crossings that wheelchair users rely on to cross the street are often blocked. There are supposedly only two contractors that offer line painting services. For many parts of the year, we are restricted by inclement weather so we have an hour of a window to do line painting works. Often, it is not done and it creates huge difficulties for everyone in society, but most importantly the most vulnerable - wheelchairs users and other people with disabilities - who are negatively affected by this.”
“We need to incentivise, whether it is private business or public properties, to retrofit to ensure we have Changing Places facilities as widespread as possible. The second point I wish to raise relates to transport access for bus and rail. This is something that has been raised with me regularly. I believe there is a challenge with the booking system on Irish Rail where it shows users who are trying to book a disabled space that there are no spaces available. When they rock up to the train station, though, there are plenty of spaces available. There is some disconnect between the booking system and the reality. It is something that needs addressing and I have raised it with Irish Rail directly, but I would like to air it here in the Seanad. One of the final points I wish to make relates to line painting.”
“I sit on the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and I raised this with Irish Rail last week. Any renovations to train stations, or bus stations, across the country should include Changing Places facilities so that we give greater dignity and access to people who require it. I wish to compliment the activists in Mayo who have put it on my radar - Kevin and Anne Loftus, Avril Greham, Geraldine Lavelle and Peter Scully - and who have all been pushing and advocating for this. There are towns - all over 10,000 in population - in Mayo that have no facilities, so a young family have to plan to go shopping in a certain town and are beholden to their child not having to use the bathroom until they go home. All plans are made around it. In this day and age, that is unacceptable and we need to make sure policy catches up.”
“I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to the Seanad and I welcome the opportunity to discuss the national human rights strategy for disabled people between now and 2030. I wish to make three key points. The first is something we have discussed before in the House. It has come on my radar in the past 12 to 18 months when discussing it with activists within my own community, namely, Changing Places facilities. In the UK, there are Changing Places facilities right across the country in every large town and village and in public buildings. It is something that wheelchair users find exceptionally useful. It gives great dignity to them and their family members and it is something we really need to catch up on in Ireland. I would welcome the consideration of its inclusion within this and perhaps other strategies.”
“I highlight the team this afternoon and wish them well in their celebrations back home this evening. I wish I could join them. I also highlight Master Harry Thompson, a six-time black belt in mixed martial arts, who has done incredible work for the sport in my local community and, indeed, nationally, working with kids and young people in schools and Foróige groups, and working with people who are disadvantaged and who have challenges, both physically and mentally. He has made a remarkable contribution to the sport. I acknowledge on the record of the House his achievements and his contribution to the local community and nationally.”
“I welcome to the House the ambassador of the Czech Republic and share in the warm wishes to Peter Finnegan as on his retirement as Clerk of the Dáil. I use this opportunity to highlight the positivity of sport for communities, young people in particular. On my travels here today, I met with the Ballina Town under-17 girls team who had returned to Ireland having competed in Barcelona, where they finished third place in their tournament. The sense of joy from parents, players and coaches at the achievement and experience that has given those young children cannot be overstated. I compliment the coach of the team, Jack Gilmartin. The whole community rallied around this team with a fundraiser that benefited every other club and sporting organisation in town. It is a great example of a model that brings so much joy to a community.”
“That is the power of football and of sport. If we want to bring people together in the North, the shared island unit is a great opportunity to do that through sport. I would welcome the Taoiseach’s consideration of any such proposals. He has my full support and I will support in every way I can anything we can do to contribute to make that happen.”
“We have seen great examples in rugby and how that sport brings people together and takes the politics and heat out of it. I have done a lot of work on the project I mentioned. It was led by Kieran Lucid and we had a board including Brendan Dillon, former Republic of Ireland football manager Brian Kerr, Stafford Reynolds and Catherine Toolan. We created a model that proposed keeping the independence of both leagues for the first half of the season and then, in the second half if the season, playing on an all-island basis. There are models that can keep independence and keep the European places while also playing on an all-island basis. I remember being in the Linfield supporters club talking to supporters who had brilliant memories of travelling down to Cork to play in the Setanta Cup, which they won playing away against Cork City FC.”
“Association football is one of very few shared interests or hobbies, but football is at a low base on the island, North and South. We have had improvements in recent years in the League of Ireland and the recent investment of €3 million provided for the academies is welcomed as part of creating a football economy on the island. The football economy across Europe is worth €38 billion annually. The prize money for winning the League of Ireland is €125,000, but winning one UEFA Conference League game is worth €400,000. The financial disparity for clubs is pronounced. To go back to the shared island unit, an opportunity exists to unite communities through sport and work towards a more cohesive society across the island. That could be very powerful and impactful and could perhaps be done, starting with the women’s leagues, North and South.”
“I welcome the Taoiseach to Seanad Éireann. Following Senator Flaherty’s contribution, I will focus on the shared island unit. The unit has a €2 billion fund, which is primarily focused on investment in infrastructure and education and bringing people closer and bringing them together. Before entering politics, I worked on a project in Northern Ireland, which was the creation of the all-island league. It was a proposal to unite the League of Ireland and the Irish League. There is a divided community in the North, for obvious reasons, but the Good Friday Agreement has laid great ground for reconciliation and peace. Sport unites us all and we all enjoy it but football in particular, North and South, is one of the common languages of both communities.”
“A shuttle bus connecting the nearest station to Ireland West Airport Knock could have a transformative impact on the whole north-western region. We cannot forget about phase 2 but we do need to see action, ground-breaking and progress on phase 1. We need to have metrics for success. There is a danger of underselling the potential of the Sligo line because of low passenger numbers. We need to see what success looks like for phase 1 so we can justify phase 2. I thank the Minister of State for all his work on this. He has been steadfast in his support for the western rail corridor and indeed rail investment. I look forward to hearing his contributions and to supporting him in realising this significant project for the north west.”
“It can mean that young people who have grown up in towns such as Tuam, Ballina, Westport and Castlebar can at least hypothetically continue to live in them while studying in Galway or Sligo. That has a huge and positive social impact on everyone. It is fair to say the Minister of State has the full support of the House on the western rail corridor. He has every bit of support I can lend to help him to realise it. Whatever can be done to ensure it is a priority should be done. Can the Minister of State provide an update on when we may have further progress on the realisation of the first phase of the western rail corridor? This is only phase 1 of a two-part trick. The northern route to Sligo is a no-brainer for all the reasons outlined in respect of connecting the whole north west. The line remains in public ownership.”
“The first phase between Athenry and Claremorris is a total open goal and such a great opportunity to revitalise and give a vote of confidence for transport infrastructure in the north west. I acknowledge the Northern and Western Regional Assembly which has done a lot research in terms of the disparities in transport infrastructure investment. Senator Mullen acknowledged that the north-west region ranks 218th out of 234 European regions in terms of the quality of its transport infrastructure. For people who commute to appointments, whether from Galway to Mayo or vice versa , but also students given that the costs of living, housing and student accommodation are so high, improved connectivity between towns can make a difference.”
“We need to improve the capacity, speed times, service and experience on each rail journey, whether that is ensuring there is good security but also catering services, which is something that has been widely discussed. I want to focus on the western rail corridor, in particular. I know the Minister of State believes in and is passionate about the opportunity that exists for the north west. If the all-island rail review is realised, 700,000 more people will live within 5 km of a railway station. That is an incredible statistic and something that is very achievable considering the fact that the western rail corridor in particular remains in public ownership. It can connect Ballina, Westport, Castlebar, Claremorris, Tuam and Athenry, all the way down the western seaboard to Limerick, Cork, Foynes and Waterford.”
“When Ernst & Young created a report that belittled the western rail corridor, he counteracted it and kept the argument and fight on the table. I acknowledge and pay tribute to him and offer my sympathies to his wife, Mary. I thank him and the West on Track team that has advocated for the western rail corridor. As has been mentioned, the increase in passenger numbers over the past number years, especially since Covid-19, have been significant. In Mayo, I have advocated for the addition of the early morning rail service connecting commuters with a 5.05 a.m. train into Heuston Station in Dublin at 8.30 a.m. We have also seen the addition of later evening services arriving into Mayo between 10.30 p.m. and 11 p.m. What is being noticed anecdotally is that all of these routes are now at capacity.”
“I thank the Minister of State for joining us for such an important discussion on the all-island rail review. I acknowledge and compliment that 7,000 submissions made, the truly inclusive nature of the review and, in particular, the work of different advocacy groups, including West on Track. While I do that, I acknowledge the late John Bradley, who was dedicated in his advocacy as a former economist with the ESRI and an advocate for West on Track and the western rail corridor in particular. He passed away recently while, sadly, on a rail journey, I believe, between Dublin and Mayo. I thank John and pay tribute to the dedication and advocacy he persisted with and maintained through his constant reports.”
“I thank Councillor Jarlath Munnelly, with whom I am working and liaising on this to make sure that the residents and the community are heard and that there is a clear strategy by Mayo County Council to end the vacuum of decision-making and certainty for communities.”
“I ask that we have proper and clear guidelines for these proposed wind farm developments. This is a community where they have had challenges trying to get planning permission for houses for people from the area living in the area, yet now there is a proposal going into An Coimisiún Pleanála for 16 turbines. For them, it is totally unpalatable and unacceptable. I highlight the need for Mayo County Council to publish the wind energy strategy and to protect areas like Lacken and Ballycastle to make sure that the areas of scenic beauty, which are world famous, are protected, that the ecological system and the neolithic heritage of the site are protected, and that we have clarity for communities like those in Lacken and Ballycastle.”
“I wish to raise an issue of serious concern to residents in County Mayo, in particular in the Lacken and Ballycastle area. It relates to a proposed wind farm development. In Mayo, we have seen a lot of investment in wind energy and turbines. It is something I support in a structured and considered way. The challenge we have at the moment, however, is that we do not have a clear wind energy strategy published by Mayo County Council. leading to a less considered and strategic approach to different developments. There is a proposal being made by Constant Energy to create a wind farm development of 16 turbines in Tirawley. It has gone to An Coimisiún Pleanála for 16 turbines. It is in a special area of conservation with incredible neolithic history and it interacts with the Céide Fields system. It is a neolithic site.”
“This would help with waiting times, which are between ten and 12 weeks in both Westport and Ballina. It would help to alleviate the pressures on those facilities while also improving the services and conditions in Belmullet. I compliment Councillor Gerry Coyle, who has persistently advocated for this at Mayo County Council level, and Councillor Sean Carey, both of whom are based in Erris. This matter needs to be examined and a solution needs to be found. I would welcome a debate on it.”
“If the car fails the test, the person will have to return for a retest. I spoke with Michael Conroy about this matter earlier. As a businessman, he has many examples of elderly customers in his area who are afraid to travel the roads, the R312 and the N59 in and out of Belmullet. Those roads are in a total state of disrepair in both directions. Belmullet, because of its size and geography, is almost the size of County Louth. It is a huge geographical area, and because of the nature of it, so many people have to use cars. Those who live in this sparsely populated area are dependent on their cars. I have been in touch with the relevant Departments. In that context, I ask that consideration be given to putting in place an NCT testing centre in Belmullet.”
“I first offer my sympathies to our colleague Senator Teresa Costello on the passing of her father, John Francis. I wish to raise an issue that has been highlighted with me today and that has been publicised all over County Mayo by Michael Conroy of Conroy Motors, which is based in Belmullet, Erris, County Mayo. I refer to the lack of NCT facilities in Belmullet. There are currently two NCT facilities in the county, one in Ballina and one in Westport. If you are living in Belmullet or in the barony of Erris, if you are in Aghleam, Doohooma Head, Glenamoy or Ballycroy, you have to travel a seriously long distance just to get an NCT. It can take up to an hour and half for some people to drive to the nearest centre. That is a three-hour return journey just to head to Westport or Ballina.”
“We need to have a discussion before these changes are brought into effect because it could have serious ramifications and increases in cost for farmers. I support Senator Murphy on it. I would welcome a discussion before any changes are made.”
“I apologise for any confusion earlier. Before we finish for the summer, I thank the Cathaoirleach, all of the team and the Leader for his welcome, help and support to the new Senators. I thank Martin Groves for his professionalism and diligence in the short term I worked with him in the Oireachtas. Indeed, I also thank Bridget Doody, Clerk Assistant of the Seanad. I also support the words of support by Senators Cummins and Ní Chuilinn on the Oireachtas broadcast staff who will be, essentially, on the dole from next week. I lend my voice of support to them. Senator P.J. Murphy, my colleague in County Galway, raised the upcoming proposals and changes to veterinary prescriptions for farming. From discussions I have had with the farming community in County Mayo, there are serious concerns about how they threaten to monopolise the market.”
“The Mayo under-16s ladies' team are playing in the All-Ireland final this evening against Kerry in Nenagh, County Tipperary. I wish all the players and the management the best of luck. I hope there is adequate sporting infrastructure in towns and villages throughout Mayo and right across the country for the next generation of players.”
“There would be a significant impact on both those sporting codes if we had those facilities in an area where it rains twice as much as it does on the east coast. Right along the western seaboard, we need sporting infrastructure that is properly accessible, under floodlighting, throughout the year. We must ensure there is access to such sporting infrastructure for everyone. I was never too interested in facilities like skateboard parks but there is a cohort of 10% to 15% of people who would like them. There may be hidden talents we cannot unearth because the facilities are not there to enable people to do so. Skateboarding is just one example of many. Covered outdoor basketball courts would allow young people to play that sport throughout winter. Creating a plan for the provision of those amenities would have such a positive impact.”
“We need an audit of all facilities and where there are blackspots, the State must intervene. Young children should not have to rely on whether, on the part of volunteers or the local authority, there are competencies within a community and whether people have an interest in a particular sport or a certain type of facility. We should have a standard basic level of sporting infrastructure provision in towns, including all-weather, full-sized GAA pitches, all-weather soccer pitches and skateboard parks. These basic standard amenities should be rolled out. We should not always wait for an application to come from a certain place. My town of Ballina has a population of more than 10,000. For one reason or another, we do not have an all-weather, full-sized GAA pitch or an all-weather soccer pitch.”
“I thank the Minister of State for facilitating this discussion and for his work to date in this area. Sport is the great connector of communities and civic life. It brings people and communities together. It can be such a force for good in terms of both physical and mental health. We need standardisation of provision of sporting facilities across the country. One town or village that has a competent community group should not receive all the different funding for various types of infrastructure while a place with a larger population that does not have its act together receives very little. This is important because there are areas of lower socioeconomic advantage that have less of a community skill set in terms of drawing down funding to develop sporting infrastructure.”
“We need to see action and to deliver on this. It is too important for the people of Newport. We need to do everything we can to make sure that this is delivered on time and with the priority and immediacy that is urgently needed.”
“My colleague Deputy Keira Keogh has been engaging with the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, on it, and I have also been engaging with local councillors on the ground who are working hard on behalf of the community. Uisce Éireann needs to deliver on it. It says the hold-up currently relates to MUL and MAC licences that are being held up by MARA, which has no statutory time limit on these licences. We need to move forward and get this delivered. It has been going on far too long. I compliment Cormac Kelly, the Newport Business Association representative, along with Martin Dillane, chair of the Newport Area and District Development Company, who have been leading as a community in taking this campaign forward. There was a protest this week at the civic offices in Castlebar, and they engaged with Uisce Éireann’s office as well.”
“I attended a briefing for Mayo Oireachtas Members related to the proposed sewage treatment plant in Newport, County Mayo. This proposal has been going on for far too long. The initial proposed completion date was 2023 but the project is still so far off where it should be. What is being talked about now is a completion date of 2030. Raw sewage is flowing into Clew Bay as we speak. Newport is a beautiful, scenic part of County Mayo with a brilliant, vibrant community that is demanding action. We have been waiting far too long for the delivery of this vital infrastructure. The lack of a treatment plant is stagnating economic and housing development and is having a hugely negative impact on the community. We have been briefed on it as Oireachtas Members.”
“Projects such as the western rail corridor, MetroLink and BusConnects, along with supporting regional airports, could have a greatly transformative effect on our whole economy and the quality of life of our citizens. The Minister has my full support for anything we can do to advocate for and support the delivery of these projects.”
“Regarding the western rail corridor and the west's connectivity, the pharmaceutical company Hollister in Ballina announced just last week an €80 million investment, supported by the IDA. Coca Cola is also based in Ballina and we have pharmaceuticals in Westport and Castlebar that can benefit a great deal from the freight lines all the way down to Foynes Port. This can have a positive impact from an economic point of view as well as for passenger connectivity. I welcome the Minister's work in such a consequential Ministry that affects many people's lives every day. The Government is taking key steps to support what the Minister requires financially to make the transformative change on our island.”
“I compliment the Minister's work. At a more granular level in our towns, local transport plans have been created. I understand that, through the NTA, a lot of funding has been spent on active travel measures. Perhaps that is more the case in cities, but these towns have created local transport plans to connect schools, workplaces and communities. They need to be supported in their delivery of them. In my own town of Ballina, and as the Minister will know well, we have a local transport plan that has recommendations to help unlock the congestion challenges, which are a big issue in the town, and to do with road infrastructure like the N26, tying us closer to key pieces of infrastructure in key cities like Dublin. Key airports like Knock can have a significant and positive economic impact.”
“That is an incredible figure for a regional airport. It is supporting and complementing the impressive figures from Shannon, which are at about 2 million passengers per year. Improved connectivity on our roads can also help take pressure off the likes of Dublin Airport, where travel times to the airport are being reduced constantly because of improvements in road infrastructure. The connectivity east to west from Mayo to Dublin is improving and the travel times are decreasing. The Scramoge to Ballaghaderreen road will be a great addition for improving the attractiveness of Knock Airport as a destination for people to fly form. This is an exciting moment for transport. There are significant projects that can help connect and bring communities and people closer together and to our key infrastructure and our towns, cities and villages.”
“The western rail corridor is a project that can help revitalise towns and villages across the west. The land is in public ownership and can have a massive benefit for the region as a phase 1 project. In time, I would love to see it being connected to Sligo. If we can move at speed to deliver the western rail corridor in the coming years, we should set out metrics to determine whether it is feasible for the Sligo line. If and when the western rail corridor is reopened, I believe it will prove to be hugely successful and will push the business case for the continuation to Sligo. On regional airports, in County Mayo we have Knock Airport, which is a roaring success. I compliment the team there, including Joe Gilmore, who is leading the line. Some 834,000 passengers went through Knock last year.”
“Another key project the Minister outlined coming from the all-island rail review was the western rail corridor. Being from Mayo and understanding the importance of transport infrastructure to rural communities, I cannot overstate the importance of the delivery of the western rail corridor in that first phase from Athenry to Claremorris. The track - about 33 km - is there and in public ownership. Various estimates have been made and evolve all the time because of inflation. That investment would be value for money, given that the land is in public ownership and can connect the western seaboard, a region that has been identified as lagging in terms of investment and is ranked sixth from the bottom in European regions for transport infrastructure. The west needs positive discrimination and investment.”
“The Minister is very welcome. I thank him for his work in an exciting period in Ireland's ambitions for transport. As he outlined, there are many exciting and ambitious projects being proposed at different stages across the country. BusConnects will be a very positive measure in improving connectivity and access for people across the cities. The improvements to the regional bus networks have been welcomed, while the expansion of rail services to different regions across Ireland and the reduction in fares have seen a pronounced increase in users of the services. The Minister outlined the many ambitious plans for rail that were at different stages. MetroLink is a real statement of intent, if it can proceed as we would like, to transform the city centre and connectivity from Dublin Airport into the city.”
“I ask the Minister to engage with and meet the Ballycastle community so that a resolution can be found and mediation takes place.”
“Along this stretch of the N17 and the N5, there have been many fatalities and accidents. We have motorists and commuters living in fear. I welcome the opportunity I will have to raise the issue later this week with the Minister for Transport because we need to do everything we can to listen to communities and improve road safety. Before I finish, two weeks ago I raised an issue related to forestry and, in particular, a situation in Ballycastle in north Mayo, where a community is animatedly against proposals by Coillte to plant a forest right next to a GAA ground and a number of residences. The planning for the proposal was approved but we do not have sight of exactly who is the decision-making body. We need answers for the community.”
“I welcome the opportunity we have to make statements on transport this week. I wish to highlight road safety. Sadly, 19 fatalities occurred on Mayo roads last year, which is an astounding figure and a sad and damning statistic. I highlight an issue of safety on the N17 roadway travelling from Charlestown towards Knock Airport. The reason I raise it is that it is the responsibility of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. We need it highlighted in the Seanad to put pressure on for a community that is living in fear. It is the exit onto the Hagfield road and serves St. Attracta’s nursing home as well as a local garage and dog kennels. This is an example of TII inaction on a road for which it has responsibility. The road needs to be addressed and made safe. It is a treacherous junction.”
“I thank the Minister of State. Before I call on Senator O'Loughlin to reply, I welcome Mr. Joe Druhan, Fr. Richard Redmond and Fr. Odhrán Furlong to our Distinguished Visitors Gallery. They are guests of the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Verona Murphy. They are very welcome.”
“We demonstrated that when we expanded the croí cónaithe scheme. The criteria were limiting it to a population of 600. We broadened those and now we can see the figures for ourselves. More than 12,000 people have applied. That is incredible and very positive. It is one of the positive measures that is being used to tackle the housing challenge. I am asking for a scheme similar to the cities scheme to be created and tailored for areas of different population sizes - 20,000, 10,000 and 5,000 - to encourage the revitalisation and regeneration of our market towns. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State would work to advocate and support this request with the Minister. I have no doubt but that the Minister of State will do that. I thank him for coming to the Chamber to discuss the issue.”
“I also welcome my guest, Mr. Fitzpatrick. It is great to have him in the Public Gallery of the Chamber. I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am well aware of the repair and lease scheme. It is an excellent scheme, but it is not the same as the croí cónaithe scheme with its city-style development. The repair and lease scheme provides funding of up to €80,000 per unit. It specifies that beneficiaries take tenancies from the county council. Croí cónaithe, on the other hand, is a more private sector-led development. It is a grant. It is not paid out of rent or anything like that, as the Minister of State knows. The croí cónaithe cities scheme is very good. We do not need to overcomplicate things. We need to stimulate development in every town and village across the country, not just in cities.”
“I also ask that a sliding scale be created so that other market towns, the smaller market towns with populations of 3,000, 4,000 or 5,000, have some scheme or mechanism in place to stimulate and incentivise the regeneration of derelict and vacant properties. Currently, there are some schemes but not enough and it would be welcome if we could introduce the croí cónaithe cities incentive and support on a smaller scale for towns and on a smaller scale again for medium to smaller towns and perhaps even for developments of five units in villages. I look forward to the Minster of State's contribution and hope for his support because it could be one of the many solutions to unlock the housing crisis.”
“The croí cónaithe cities scheme, which is a totally different scheme and should perhaps have a different name because there is a lot of confusion about it, is specifically for cities. It is for 20 units or more delivered by a developer on a brownfield or derelict site to bring it back into use. This scheme is a good one, but it is limited to cities alone. There are towns like Castlebar, Ballina and Westport in Mayo where people used to live on the streets above the shops. There were vibrant town centres. We should not be limiting the croí cónaithe apartment scheme developments to cities. I ask that it be expanded to include towns with a population of more than 10,000 people.”
“The Minister of State is welcome. The housing crisis affects the whole island and it is important we use every measure at our disposal to unlock one of the great social challenges of our time. The croí cónaithe scheme has been delivered specifically for land or building owners. It is a positive measure. It began for towns with populations of more than 600 people. Something I campaigned for when I was in Mayo County Council was that it be expanded to the whole countryside, to towns and villages, because we have cottages and old run-down buildings in all these different landscapes. That was positively received and the measure has enabled much more supply of housing in rural areas. It should be supported and complimented.”
“If he can, I would really appreciate it on behalf of the fisheries. We need to all work together across the House to fight with the Minister of State in fighting the Irish corner at a European level because there are huge challenges and we should do that constructively. I hope the Minister of State can support my ask today.”
“I would appreciate if he gave this matter his consideration. The maintenance of harbours and piers in the country, including in Mayo, is an issue that I raised recently in the Seanad. Basic maintenance is an issue that should not percolate all the way to Oireachtas levels but, unfortunately, it has. There should be a service level agreement in place that ensures councils are accountable, maintain harbours and piers, and that there is a rolling fund to support the repair of harbours and piers following instances of deterioration and storm damage. It should not take such efforts of advocacy to get small jobs done. Plus, maintaining piers and slipways is really important from a safety point of view. I am here to support to work with and support the Minister of State in his work. I hope he will be able to help on this specific issue.”
“There is a huge depth of history and heritage in each of the fishing communities that span the Mayo coastline and the Irish coastline. All of that needs to be protected and supported into the future. I would really appreciate the Minister of State's support in considering it. It could have a huge impact on the hook and line sector. The fishermen made the point that if they cannot catch the quota they are given, it can be reallocated to the bigger operators of the 50 vessels. There are, however, 1,500 small operators who ask for a little bit more and the 50 larger operators can have any excess quota. That is a fair ask. I know there has been lots of advocacy on this issue. The pen in the Minister of State's hand could make all the difference and have a huge positive impact on the hook and line mackerel sector.”