Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Has the LDA engaged with the NTA regarding public transport because there is no public transport there?

I raised this matter when I put in a submission about the development of the site. I have been advocating the development of St. Kevin's site since 2011. Comments were made earlier about delivery according to timelines and the success of the LDA. I am frustrated that the site has remained unused for years, although I appreciate that work is being done on it now. There were at least three major fires there. It will probably cost tens of thousands of euro to do work that should have been done at the time. Between the Government, Cork City Council and the HSE, it was a wanton disgrace that the building was left the way it was and that it collapsed. Now the LDA is picking up the pieces. When the site is delivered, how will people get to work, school and college? I have engaged with the NTA on BusConnects. There is no bus service for the site, on which we are building the bones of 200-odd or 300 houses. Around the corner and up the road there is another site – the old Good Shepherd Convent – where there is planning permission for another 210. A developer got planning permission for the site and then flipped it, and now the site is still lying idle. There were another half dozen major fires there. Therefore, we are facing the possibility of 500 houses in an area without bus service or cycle lanes. Those who know the Sunday's Well layout will know the traffic is gridlocked.

One of the things we raised with Bus Connects, which was raised by people locally, was the possibility of a new bridge by the Lee waterworks, going over the Carrigrohane Straight. Is that something the delegates considered and discussed? I am referring to a bridge for vehicle traffic but also for cycle lanes and walking because it would take the pressure off farther down. It would be very close to the colleges and CUH. Have the delegates engaged on that?