Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Let us take the example of the D Hotel in my town of Drogheda. In his opening statement, Mr. McCarthy made reference to the community engagement team but there was literally no engagement in that instance. The main hotel in the centre of the town was just taken over. There was a thorough lack of engagement. What galled me was the fact that the phone was not even picked up. There was no discussion with local representatives about the fact that there was an offer for the hotel and no questions were asked about the effect taking over the hotel would have on tourism and business in Drogheda. We received no such call and were never asked that question. The contract was signed and the deed was done. That absolutely contradicts the principle of community engagement. We could have been asked about the effect it would have on the town, particularly as the Westcourt Hotel had already been taken over. The D Hotel was the biggest hotel in the town and it is now gone. Through its lack of engagement, the Department created a situation in Drogheda that could have been very volatile and that we had to try to manage. We had to clean up the mess. Mr. McCarthy's opening statement refers to the community engagement team but they would want to smarten up their act. The next time the Department goes into a town and plans to take over the main facilities, I suggest that it does some proper engagement and asks what the effect of such a takeover would be on the town itself. It just does not help; it creates a situation that was not there previously. Mr. McCarthy knows exactly what I am talking about.