Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. I will keep this brief because apart from being a Rossy, there is no point in repeating everything that has said. However, I represent a Roscommon-Galway constituency. I agree with everything that has been said by Deputes Ó Cúiv, Connolly, Grealish and Rabbitte. The reality is that Galway city and county are fantastic. They have fantastic communities and a fantastic identities. What has been going on for years is dragging down the city and the county. Within months of being elected in 2016, the issue of how bad the finances were was brought to my attention by a number of councillors and I attended a number of meetings. We really need to get this right, as the other speakers have said, and we need a proper discussion.

Ballinalsoe is less than 40 minutes on a motorway from Galway city. It feels so left out. We could make this fantastic. There could be so much more done with Ballinalsoe. Galway city is bursting at the seams in so many areas and yet one has these great communities who want more in their area. They are prepared to work for it and with their politicians to make it happen.

I would really like for us to have a proper discussion and not rush this through. I can assure members that if it is rushed through, it will not work. We will have problem after problem in the city and county if we get it wrong. Now is the time to get it right. We need to give it time and to do the right thing.