Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Shakespeare. I am conscious that my time to ask questions is limited. I have three specific questions for him and a broader question for the other county managers.

We are in the middle of imagining a different city for ourselves. What steps have been taken regarding arts and cultural space in Dublin city? We know there has been a hollowing out over the past 12 months. What steps have been taken by the city council to dramatically improve the number of cultural and arts spaces in the city, especially with the large number of vacant sites?

Has any work been done on air quality? We had a quiet city last year and for the first half of this year. Has there been an escalation of the monitoring of air quality in this city for that period when people were not travelling compared with now?

There are obstacles to Dublin City Council retaining Tolka Park. It is owned by the council. I believe that we need to have juvenile pitches, community amenities and some housing on the 3 acres. I want to hear from a local authority perspective why the council has to sell that site.

This question is for Mr. McElwee, Dr. Daly and Ms Delaney. In their counties, there is concern about certain towns that are doing okay, which took a hit during the pandemic but will recover, and that we will see a widening of the gap between those and other towns that have been in decline for many years. That is what I am picking up from Mayo, Limerick and other counties. Is it borne out by the witnesses' experience that some towns will continue into decline and that recovery will not happen?