Chairman:

Obviously, this is a committee dealing with culture, heritage and Gaeltacht affairs. One of the issues concerning the project is that it will have a significant impact on the heritage of Cork city. In other words, much of the existing riverside infrastructure is of major note culturally and in terms of heritage. It dates back many centuries in some cases. The proposed project is seeking to alter the structures or replace them with newer ones. As a result, there is fear that much of the heritage will be lost. The project has wider connotations in that there will be an impact on flooding in Cork city, as implied by the Deputy. We will find from the testimony from both sides that the protection against the flooding is of key interest to all participants in this debate. When an issue of heritage arises in the country, it would be wrong for the committee that deals with it to close its eyes to it.