Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegates. Yesterday I was involved in the peace process in Belfast. I returned from Belfast using the airport bus, whose final stop was at the Gresham Hotel. I had a very pleasant journey on the beautiful bus and there was beautiful countryside all the way down. It was very therapeutic but I will never forget the shock I got when I got to O'Connell Street. To me, shopping has to be about a good experience but O'Connell Street is filthy. We are all familiar with the various reports. The three delegates have a huge problem on their hands. I will never forget what I saw and I am not exaggerating. I felt like ringing up Joe Duffy but I said to myself I should mind my own business as I have enough to do. A fortune has been paid on the redesign of O'Connell Street and there are beautiful buildings that afford an historical experience but I do not know what the delegates are going to do about the problem I describe. I went into Clerys. While the litter on the street is disgusting, the pavements are filthy. They need to be washed down regularly. Disregarding the Luas works — it is tremendous that we are to have that connection — the pavement at the bottom of Grafton Street was filthy. I just could not believe my eyes. I believed the condition would improve farther on but it was actually dirty outside Allied Irish Banks. I am ashamed because when I was in Belfast there was a beautiful pristine atmosphere. I am not blaming the three delegates. They spoke about value for money in rates, etc, and consequently I hope to God they will be able to address the problem.

I was in Dundrum Town Centre this morning at the ATM. There is constant cleaning taking place there. Cleaning must be constant, not once off. I met a man on O'Connell Street who had a tiny little cleaning gadget but in Dundrum under Mr. Nugent there is constant cleaning. One never enters the shopping centre without seeing somebody cleaning. With all the talk about online competition and the various reports, I really feel the delegates have a crisis on their hands. I do not want to go back down the street again. I cannot talk about drugs — I have no experience of that — but I can state the street is dirty. What the hell have the delegates got to say about it? I am not blaming them. If they want people to shop on our main street, O'Connell Street, how will they make it a pleasant experience? People will not go there as it is. In Dundrum, Mr. Nugent is particular about what he wants. After the hassle of this place, I go to Dundrum Town Centre just to relax. It is so beautiful and clean that it makes you feel good. It is a beautiful environment and it is kept clean all the time. O'Connell Street is dirty and littered and the pavements have ingrained dirt. I am upset about it, to be honest.