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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“This means the local authority cannot purchase the property because they have not been empowered by the Department of housing to do so, even though the renter is receiving rent supplement support from a social welfare office. This issue was raised with me by Councillor Donna Sheridan in Castlebar. She is currently dealing with a situation where the local authority wants to purchase a house that meets all the scheme criteria. The person renting the house is in receipt of rent supplement from the social welfare office. Unfortunately, bureaucracy is denying the local authority the ability to purchase the property. People who receive rent supplement are often victims of domestic violence and abuse and have been relocated. They are being penalised and are suffering a negative impact under this policy.”
“I offer my condolences to the Minister of State on his sad loss. It is a testament to him that he is back here so soon after such a difficult loss. My sympathies are with him. I raise an issue relating to the tenant in situ scheme, which is a very good scheme that helps people in the challenging circumstance of facing eviction. Currently, when people are in receipt of HAP or RAS, local authorities are enabled to purchase the property when the eviction notice is given to the tenant. Unfortunately, any rent supplement paid to the household renter is not taken into account and is not a factor for the tenant in situ scheme.”
“That could all be devolved to local authorities with the stroke of a pen, as opposed to councils having to beg TII for low-cost measures, which are not a priority for it, such as pedestrian crossings, extensions of footpaths or initiating safe routes to school. Decisions on such matters must all be devolved and kept within local authorities. I look forward to working with the Minister of State and supporting his efforts in this area. He came up through the local authority in Waterford and he understands the situation in minute detail. We need to be granular and minute to get it right, rather than being lofty in our thoughts. It is about decentralising decision-making within local communities.”
“If a chief executive, director of service or any member of a local authority is not doing the job he or she is resourced and paid to do by the State, he or she must be held accountable. For semi-State bodies that are State funded, such as Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Eir, ESB and Uisce Éireann, there needs to be an orbit within local authorities to ensure overlap and joined-up thinking. In the case of TII's local transport plans for towns and villages, for example, there may be simple, quick fixes that could improve safety, whether by way of an extension of a footpath for a school or installation of speed ramps. Engineers in local authorities have to wait almost a year for approval for such low-cost safety measures.”
“We certainly also need more accountability. We have brilliant civil servants in our local authorities but it will not always be the case that we have the top-class civil servants. We will sometimes encounter incompetence. If there is incompetence or people are not doing their job, there must be accountability. The salary for councillors is approximately €30,000 and they are talking to people on four times that salary who are not doing the work that is asked of them and, instead, are going off on another agenda. We must decentralise decision-making back to councillors, who are the democratic voice in local authorities, to make sure the civil servants who are paid to do a job are actually doing it. We need mechanisms to do that and to ensure there is accountability.”
“This puts enormous pressure on local authorities that already live a hand-to-mouth existence. Councillors need more decision-making powers in their community, particularly in the area of housing. I have raised the issue of decision-making on the zoning of land for residential use with the Minister, with the Minister of State and in this House. In the instance I raised, there was full agreement by planners in the county and the proposal ticked every box that could be requested, yet it was ultimately rejected when it came to the Minister for sign-off. The local comprehension of the situation is not there when that final decision is made. We cannot expect a Minister to have a full understanding of each town and village. We need to restore the faith of communities in local government by empowering councillors.”
“They are the touchpoint and interface with democracy in every local community. We in this House might be in a bubble sometimes but councillors work in their communities every day and are visible and accessible to people. They often go over and beyond in their contribution to their community and society through their volunteerism. A total of 8% of public expenditure goes on local government. This contrasts with the countries at the top of the chart identified by the OECD, such as Denmark, where the figure is 40%. A paltry contribution is made to local authorities to fund services where there is local autonomy. We still come up with centralised programmes and funds that are imposed in a top-down manner on local authorities with a matched-funding requirement of 10%, 15% or 20%.”
“I compliment the Cathaoirleach on his work in this area. In the previous Seanad, we had an opportunity to contribute to the work on the task force, for which I thank him. I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his continued efforts on local government. I wish him well and look forward to supporting his efforts in the term ahead. I was in the privileged position to work on behalf of my community in the very difficult job of councillor in Mayo County Council. There are many highs and lows to being a councillor, as most of us have experienced. Senator Murphy noted that councillors have a lot of responsibility, and although they sometimes get all the kudos, they mostly get all the blame, but, in effect, they have very little power to change things and be as impactful as they would like to be in their locality.”
“I congratulate the Relay for Life Mayo organisation, which hosted an incredible weekend, raising money for cancer research and charities. More than €130,000 was raised. The great weekend and weather helped an awful lot. It was fabulous to see many different people in the community getting out and celebrating those who survived cancer but also remembering those they had lost. It was a great way of raising hopes and spirits and obtaining money for a great cause. I compliment two local county councillors, Peter Flynn and Brendan Mulroy, who did an incredible job of raising much-needed funds for cancer research. I also compliment the community in Westport and County Mayo generally for getting behind a brilliant event.”
“I intend to work on tightening the legislation to stop the proliferation of these shops across towns and villages. We have made good strides on the sale of cigarettes in terms of their branding, their packaging, and how they have to be kept behind the counter and not advertised, whereas vapes, vaping products and the accessories that go with smoking and vaping seem to have proliferated across all towns and villages. There are quick fixes we can make to amend the existing legislation to stop the product placement and the association with candy or sweets and other things young people would be attracted to in vaping. It is shocking to see it like that. We should also put stringent fines in place for shop owners who flout these rules, if we can get this addressed. I encourage a debate on it.”
“I wish to raise an issue that is popping up in towns and villages all across the country, that is, vaping shops. I raised it previously with the Minister for Justice when he was in the Seanad. We need to amend the existing legislation - the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 - to have more stringent and stronger repellents and barriers for the sale of vaping products, in particular the targeting of young people. In one example in my home county of Mayo, we have a shop that sells vapes and candy together, enticing young people and encouraging them to use vaping as a stepping stone. It is abhorrent to see that level of cynicism from businesses that are trying to encourage young people to vape. I would encourage a discussion on this matter.”
“I welcome the efforts of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and encourage the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to keep a close eye on the situation and ensure waiting times are brought down. Situations such as this have a real-world effect. There needs to be a degree of empathy. We could offer prioritisation where a job will be affected or a family or healthcare professional is affected. We need to give priority for special needs cases such as those. I thank the Minister of State for his time and look forward to his reply.”
“Being able to drive independently would ensure I can continue supporting the children in my care, both in school and during transport, without putting additional pressure on my family. There are many such lived experiences and real-life examples throughout the country. We need to do more. Bashing the RSA is easy. The authority is based in my home town of Ballina in Mayo. We need to support it to do more on this issue because it is affecting the economy and society in a pronounced manner. I invite the Minister of State to meet with the RSA. We need to reinvigorate the office. We need to resource the authority and ensure new testers are introduced in order that we can drastically reduce waiting times.”
“That amounts to 485 people in Ballina waiting for tests and in excess of 1,000 in the Castlebar centre. I would like to highlight the real-word effect of that. A recent representation made to me by a constituent read as follows: I am 20 years old and I am currently working as a Full-time Special Needs Assistant (SNA) in Belmullet, County Mayo. I’m writing to ask for your assistance in helping me secure a driving test appointment. My role requires me not only to support students during the ... day, but also to act as a bus escort for children with high dependency needs. This means early starts and late finishes, and reliable transport is essential for me to fulfil my duties. My commute is approximately 15 minutes by car, and with both of my parents working full time, I am finding it increasingly difficult to manage transport.”
“The Minister of State is welcome to the House. As Fine Gael spokesperson in the Seanad for transport and a member of the Joint Committee on Transport, I welcome the opportunity to debate this pressing issue that is affecting individuals throughout the country. With 83,486 people waiting for tests, it is simply not good enough and needs to be addressed urgently. In places like Navan, Tallaght and Galway, waiting times are in excess of 40 weeks and this needs to be addressed as soon as possible. In County Mayo, where I am from, in April of 2022, Ballina and Castlebar had waiting times of six weeks and three weeks, respectively. In April 2025, waiting times in Ballina had gone up to 27 weeks and in Castlebar to 25 weeks. There has been more than a quadrupling of waiting times in that period.”
“When they arrive, they have their independence, mobile phones and connections with the outside work taken from them. They are told they are in debt. It causes immense suffering and pain for people who were promised a better life and are being taken advantage of. I compliment that conference. It spotlights and highlights a very important topic, which I would like further discussion on in the near future.”
“Something I would like to work with the No Name Clubs, James and young people on is to make sure that in areas where there is no availability of No Name Clubs that we work to support those neighbourhoods and communities to have the clubs and activities for young people. I also highlight the issue of human trafficking. A conference was hosted in Ballina by the Ballina and Castlebar Soroptimist clubs. The conference was introduced by the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Calleary, and titled Hidden in Plain Sight. Speakers included representatives from An Garda Síochána and also Ruhama, a charity that does incredible work in this space. The conference aimed to raise awareness. I raise awareness of the work and the plight of those affected by human trafficking, who were promised a better life in European countries.”
“I join in the Cathaoirleach's welcome to James Cafferkey. He is a TUI student in St. Muredach's College and has been a great help to me. Yesterday evening, James attended a launch of the new strategy for the No Name Clubs, which is a youth organisation aimed at youth empowerment across Ireland. It has launched its new strategy that runs until 2029 and it has a great focus on working on building on the work of the No Name Clubs, to improve it, to empower young people and to improve the connectivity and inclusion of young people so they have things to do in their towns and villages.”
“We must have access to services for rural communities and access to cash as legal tender. I thank the Cathaoirleach and Minister of State for their time.”
“We should not allow community-run organisations like credit unions, which are of the people and for the people, to make regressive decisions like this that offer less choice. We need to offer more choice for communities. Towns on an island like Achill, which are often neglected and feel like the poor relation, should not have a death by a thousand cuts and a reduction in the services which are vital to the communities of rural Ireland. I welcome the Bill and the guarantee and commitment to access to cash. I acknowledge that airlines have now removed cash as a method of payment on most flights I have encountered. That is not fair or right. Legal tender is legal tender. Currency needs to be accepted. As part of the Bill, I ask the Minister of State to consider the reduction in the hours of operation of credit unions.”
“More specifically, in my home county, Mayo, the First Choice Credit Union recently decided to restrict the hours of operation in five of their credit union locations, namely Achill, Balla, Ballyhaunis, Swinford and Kiltimagh. I raised this issue earlier on the Order of Business. It has been highlighted by local Councillor Alma Gallagher, who has worked alongside the chamber of commerce in Ballyhaunis to highlight the issue and express the dissatisfaction with the First Choice Credit Union's decision. A review of the decision was due last week, but that was not communicated this week. A decision is to be made by the end of May. I ask the Minister of State to look into this. I have raised the issue with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe.”
“I welcome the provisions in the Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Bill 2024. I would like to raise a point with the Minister of State. I refer to access to cash. I have had a number of conversations with constituents as this has come to light over the past number of weeks. We have discussed this in great detail. It is important to recognise the lack of access at different stages to digital and contactless payments when power outages or a lack of access to Internet connectivity occurs, and when digital systems drop that leaves people high and dry. We saw that happen recently in Spain and Portugal. There is also a move away from cash. People should have the choice between cash or card and contactless payments.”
“It is totally unfair when we have seen power outages and a recent finance Bill that refers to access to cash for communities. The credit union is supposed to be of the people and for the people. Unfortunately, despite this there is a proposal to reduce operating hours. I would like us to invite the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, to discuss this. I have reached out to him and look forward to working with him on the matter and supporting Councillor Alma Gallagher to achieve a satisfactory outcome in order that the affected towns and villages, namely, Achill, Balla, Ballyhaunis, Swinford and Kiltimagh, which have been neglected and deserve better, will have access to proper credit union services.”
“May I raise an issue that has caused huge concern for communities in County Mayo and that has been highlighted by my colleague Councillor Alma Gallagher in Ballyhaunis, namely, the reduction of services of five credit unions, in Achill, Balla, Ballyhaunis, Swinford and Kiltimagh? These are five First Choice credit unions and they have announced only recently that they are going to reduce their services down to three days. Councillor Gallagher and the chamber of commerce met officials from First Choice Credit Union to relay their dismay, frustration and anger at such a move. A decision was due to be made last week but it has now been put off until the end of May. These changes and decisions are due to be enacted by 14 June.”
“I share in the sympathies expressed on the death of Garda Kevin Flatley, which was a tragedy to befall the force and, most particularly, his family. I offer my sympathies, those of my Fine Gael colleagues and, I am sure, those of the House on the passing of former councillor Senator, TD and Minister, Paddy O'Toole, who passed away over the weekend. Paddy O'Toole was a native of Erris and went to Ballina to teach in Knockanillo National School, where his commitment to education and local development laid the foundations for his future in public office. He will be sadly mourned from his native Doohoma all the way to Ballina. I offer my sympathies to his wife, Jacqueline, his children, Jackie, John, Padraig and Helen, and his relatives, neighbours, colleagues and friends. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm.”
“The EPA also has a licensing challenge which can delay developments, so a bit more flexibility and less bureaucracy on that for small incremental improvements would be really supported and welcomed by Uisce Éireann. Ultimately, it will help us build and deliver more houses. I would really welcome the Minister of State's input on it all and his support for it.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am heartened by it in terms of the consideration and the flexibility that could be given to local authorities. In a partnership process, any semi-State or any body that tries to develop critical infrastructure that is in the common good and the public good must be supported. I encourage Uisce Éireann and other such bodies to work with local authorities to make sure they avail of these partnership processes because it can help remove the Bord Pleanála difficulties and help expedite planning developments. I support that work and encourage the Minister of State to consider amending the wastewater discharge regulations, which are linked through Uisce Éireann. I know they are causing delays as well as the permissions.”
“It would help to expedite the development of critical infrastructure that can unlock additional housing supply and ambition. I welcome the Minister of State's efforts regarding the planning exemption for the modular units. We need to support such a common-sense proposal in a collective manner. Local councillors should have stronger levers for residential developments. I welcome the Minister of State’s consideration of this important topic.”
“It is for the common good and is in the interest of every local authority representative in the country because it benefits communities by improving water quality, wastewater supply and infrastructure. Critically, that would also unlock housing, which is in such challenging circumstances and is limiting the prosperity of the State to such an extent. Will the Minister of State consider devolving more autonomy to local authorities through the Part 8 process? This would mean that there would not be a mechanism for An Bord Pleanála to intervene, as the Minister knows, but it would also provide for public consultation. This would be a good means of improving and unlocking critical infrastructure that is within the common good.”
“The chief executive, Niall Gleeson, identified recently during a speech to mark the opening of the Arklow wastewater treatment plant, which is heralded as an excellent facility that is best-in-class investment, that the greater Dublin drainage project was proposed at the same time as the Arklow wastewater treatment plant. If they had both progressed at the same speed, the greater Dublin drainage project would have cost €600 million, but it is now expected to cost the State approximately €1.2 billion. The proposal that I bring forward this afternoon relates to improved expedience through the Part 8 process for local authorities to progress critical infrastructure for Uisce Éireann.”
“A person with space in their back garden, for example, has more liberty and autonomy to improve living conditions for themselves and their family, based on their circumstance. That flexibility is very welcome. What would also be very welcome is more devolved power and decision-making for local authorities. Like the Minister of State, I have come through the local council and I believe local authorities have a role to play. It is not just a case of making one or two decisions; it is a very complex situation and each theme needs diligent efforts. Irish Water is a topic that comes up regularly.”
“The Minister of State is very welcome back to the Seanad. The housing crisis we face is not news to him or to any of us here in the Chamber. I compliment him on the work and efforts he has commenced since taking over his brief. His knowledge is impeccable. He has experience of being his party spokesperson for housing in the previous Seanad and he also worked on the issue while in local government. I wish him the best. I look forward to supporting his efforts in his role in this Ministry. The housing crisis is very complex and I welcome the efforts the Minister of State is beginning to make in regard to more flexibility and less red tape and regulation to empower people to have choice.”
“People in the most vulnerable and needy situation of their lives are sometimes left waiting up to two hours in an area that is often neglected and forgotten about and is sparsely populated and rural. We need to do better for the people of Erris and Belmullet. These response times are not good enough. We need to ensure that, regardless of circumstance, situations or events, there is a plan B and a plan C so that, if ambulances are gone to Castlebar or held up in other locations, we still have adequate response times in emergencies. We want security and safety and reassurances for the people of Erris that we have adequate response times in their hour of need. It is important. On a separate note, the Ballina Town FC under-12s team are in the all-Ireland final. It is my home club and they are playing Verona FC at 11 a.m. on Sunday.”
“I raise the important issue of ambulance response times in County Mayo, particularly the Erris region of Belmullet. I have three call logs of incidents from the past number of months. In some instances, the ambulance response times to patients has been two hours. Two hours, two hours and 96 minutes are just three examples from the past number of months. I compliment the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, for her work improving the effectiveness of her office and improving the health outcomes and conditions, but where ambulance response times are concerned, the people of Belmullet and Erris waiting two hours is unacceptable. It is linked to congestion in Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar. We need to ensure that these situations never happen.”
“I will do whatever I can to work with the Minister of State and the Government to ensure this is project is made a priority and delivered for the people of the north west.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the update. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, for his work on this issue. The all-island strategic rail review identified the reopening of the western rail corridor from Claremorris to Athenry as a short-term measure. Having invested so much in planning, consultation and reviews, we now need to move to delivery. We need to do whatever it takes to ensure the project is included in the upcoming review of the national development plan and move swiftly to reopen the line. The tracks are in public ownership, although substantial investment is required. The social, economical and connectivity benefits for the north west cannot be overstated.”
“I will work with the Minister of State and across all Government channels, including through the Joint Committee on Transport, to make sure this project is included in the national development plan and is funded and delivered for the north west. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State’s thoughts on the matter.”
“If we compare that cost for a rail line of more than 30 km in the west which would unlock and improve connectivity across the whole western seaboard with the estimated cost of between €400 million and €500 million per kilometre to build a metro, it is a no-brainer and an open goal. I will work with the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, on this. I compliment him and the transport officials who have been having working on this issue. The economic benefits of a rail connection down to Foynes Port and the benefits of removing heavy freight from the roads in terms of reducing congestion and improving connectivity cannot be overstated. This is a brilliant opportunity to show a vote of confidence in the north west.”
“The reopening of the western rail corridor would connect Mayo and Galway by rail and the line would continue all the way down to Limerick and Cork. Due to the cost and lack of affordability of student accommodation, whether in Dublin or the west, particularly Galway and Limerick, many students in my home county of Mayo are commuting regularly. The reopening of this line is an open goal because it is in public ownership and the project offers value for money and aligns with the national development plan. Therefore, we need to make it a key priority. Research reports have identified the cost of reopening the western rail corridor at approximately €200 million.”
“I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As the Fine Gael spokesperson on transport in the Seanad and a member of the newly formed Oireachtas committee on transport, I bring to the Minister of State’s attention a key and important piece of infrastructure for the north west, namely, the western rail corridor. The line between Athenry and Claremorris, which is currently closed, is in public ownership. I compliment the work of advocacy groups like West on Track, as well as political and civic leaders across the north west who have been campaigning and advocating for the reopening of the western rail corridor. There is a great opportunity for improving the connectivity and economic prosperity of the north west, a region that has recently been identified as lagging behind other European regions.”
“I have concerns that if we have a housing activation office, it will again focus on centralised efforts in cities while towns in more rural areas are left behind. We need to empower the tsars we have and not create another layer of bureaucracy that will potentially impede progress in solving the housing crisis.”
“We have had multiple examples in local area plans where councillors have tried to zone land that is in walking distance of urban centres, has footpaths, broadband, electricity supply and public lighting schemes but they are rejected because of population targets and ceilings that are being put on settlements in counties, towns and villages. We must devolve power back to local authorities because we have 900 tsars already in place who are resourced and paid. They just need to be empowered to do that work. That is where we need to have our focus. If we have a housing activation office, it must have devolved functions to every local authority and not be centralised. The LDA, for example, is doing great work but it is focused on the cities.”
“I welcome the programme for Government commitment on a housing activation office, but we must have stronger conversations on the concept of a housing tsar in terms of delivery and the empowerment of local authorities. Numerous attempts were made in the area I am from in Mayo to zone land to activate housing in towns and villages in the county. I have been contacted daily by people who are trying to build one-off houses in the area they are from but they are being repelled by county development plans, local development plans or other bureaucratic excuses. It is not always the case that it is just about the lack of supply from Irish Water.”
“In recent days there have been reports about the appointment of a housing tsar to help support the housing crisis we face. I have serious concerns about this concept considering the fact that we have more than 900 tsars in county councils across every local authority. They are our county councillors. Devolved functions to zone housing on the ground is what we need to unlock housing supply, and working with potential developers, the utilities and service providers. That is where the war will be won in terms of unlocking housing supply. The sum of €430,000 is an extortionate amount of money for a position that has no clarity on what the holder is going to do.”
“We need to further support communities in rural areas. When we are at such high employment with families working, we need to make sure we have fair access for all parents and families. This is my first opportunity to raise this at an Oireachtas level and I would welcome a discussion on the matter. I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me an opportunity to speak on this. I hope we can deliver for the families in this area.”
“I raise an issue very important to my constituency. With the closure of deadlines for the school bus scheme for this year, a particular area and blackspot in my constituency is just outside of Crossmolina - the area of Coolturk, Eskeragh and Dooleague. There are 20 students without access to the school they attend, Crossmolina National School. The students have family links and connections to this school. Unfortunately, over the past number of years, they have not been eligible for the bus to school scheme. I have met with the families. I would welcome a discussion with the Minister for Education on this. It is very important for all the families in this area at a time when we need to encourage sustainable transport and sustainable travel to school in an area where there is plenty of congestion in the morning.”
“I compliment Councillor Gerry Coyle, who has been working on this issue and who I will be working to support to deliver this infrastructure for Belmullet. I ask that we that invite the Minister for sport to a discussion on this, that a world-class athletics track be delivered and that we support the Belmullet community in delivering it.”
“They have to travel for more than an hour to access adequate athletic facilities. The Erris area is neglected in respect of sporting infrastructure and almost 2,000 people in Erris are registered with disabilities. The community has identified a location that would be located between the Irish Wheelchair Association's facilities and a secondary school. It is desperately needed from a public health and mental health point of view. I ask that the Minister for sport be invited to the Seanad to discuss the opportunity that exists for the State to invest in proper standards and facilities for an area that is sparsely populated but has huge demand for sporting infrastructure. It is often a forgotten area.”
“I wish to be associated with the remarks on the retirement of Martin Groves. He was a great help to me in my early days, although I am still in my early days in the Seanad, and I put on record my thanks to Martin for his assistance. I would also like to associated with the remarks on the Holy Father, the late Pope Francis, and his contribution to community, society and faith right across the world and the indelible mark he made on inclusion and broadening the church's work for those in the most disadvantaged areas. Just this weekend gone, I visited Erris Athletics Club in north Mayo, whose members have to travel 90 km to access standard and adequate sporting facilities. The club has more than 250 members. It has more than 250 members and 198 members under the age of 14 alone.”
“In particular on these zoning matters, will he send a ministerial directive so that lands that were previously zoned residential but were dezoned could be rezoned as residential? This will mean that projects like the ones I identified will not get refused when they go to the board because the rug has been pulled from under them. My final point relates to local transport plans. Local authorities have identified safe and sustainable routes of travel from the town centre to the periphery. If we have identified sustainable development in regard to walking and cycling infrastructure to the periphery of settlements in towns and villages right across the country, we could include automatic zoning from the periphery to the town centre for residential development.”