Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I assume Mr. Sydenham is, from an OPW point of view, corroborating that statement by Cork County Council in respect of the observation made by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Forgive me if we are getting into surreal territory here but, as a local public representative and a Teachta Dála, I find it extraordinary that we have all the silos of Government in one room. Whether a local authority, IFI, whichever Department or the OPW, there is a certain amount of: "We do not hold the funds to do the job." The points have been made by previous speakers. There needs to be a whole-of-government approach to this. We take at face value and in good faith every statement made today. Regarding overall Government expenditure, I do not buy the arguments about voted expenditure or voted funding and line Departments. Creative mechanisms can always be found to find a relatively small parcel of money to do a job that would meet all the State's obligations, and that is the point. It is the State that has these obligations in respect of EU legislation and directives.

As Chairman, I perceive that we are hiding behind certain directives. We are saying that there is a statutory obligation and that statutory consents are required. This has been very enlightening because it has highlighted the clear line of demarcation that seems to exist between Departments in respect of who holds the can.

The times in which we are living are not as constrained as 2011. Considering the figures of €1.34 million and €1.7 million in their entirety in the context of overall Government expenditure, one would be hopeful that all stakeholders could come to some agreed, co-ordinated and unified position in tandem with the stakeholders on the ground so that this could be funded. I fail to understand what the €350,000 will buy. We have heard from TJ O'Connor and Associates and White Young Green. There have been other reports on the needs in this regard. For the sake of argument, we will call what is on the table a northern relief pass. There is also a repair and restoration project. They represent two discrete budget lines. The council says that it does not have the funding to carry out either project. It has extended its lámh amach to the Minister for a few bob, a small amount of money, for more consultation. Does it not understand why the people of Fermoy are exasperated and weary at this stage?