Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank and welcome Ms Foreman and Mr. McCormack and congratulate them on all the work they do, not just today but all the time, to promote growing and community gardens. Ms Foreman comes from Mud Island in the north inner city. It is in my constituency of Dublin Central. I learned gardening from my granny and she came from a generation who grew to sustain themselves. A garden is a happy and peaceful place to be. One works at a pace that is less frenetic than the rest of our lives in the big city.

In the north inner city, it is not surprising that there are Mud Island and the Stoneybatter serenity garden. Hardwicke Street flats have a project. In Cabra by the Royal Canal at Liffey Junction, Cabra For Youth, of which I am a founding director, has a garden where there is intergenerational work. Young people work with senior citizens and there is the sharing and education that Ms Foreman referred to. De Courcy Square in Glasnevin is an old railed plot of land that was closed to residents for a long time but is now a great and vibrant garden. It is hugely important.

I am happy to support Community Gardens Ireland's recommendations. As a committee, we should support them. Mr. McCormack mentioned the model in Scotland. Will the witnesses talk about that? What benefits does that have that would deliver for us? From a city perspective, we have to formalise and champion community gardening.