Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this important matter relating to west Cork to be taken on the Adjournment. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern. In 2003, Teagasc made 15 hectares of land from its agricultural college adjacent to Clonakilty available for affordable housing. This is very welcome and greatly appreciated by the local people. Clonakilty and the surrounding area is a growth area where sites are very expensive. It is a coastal region and houses typically make €350,000 to €550,000. Younger people, even those with two good salaries cannot afford the cost of housing. This affordable housing scheme is welcome. The affordable housing initiative is very laudable and has the support of all parties in the House and the social partners.

I would like to see this development accelerated as it is now 2005. I appreciate that good and prudent planning must be made. I and those living in the area wish to see this exciting project done correctly. We do not wish a development to be thrown together in a higgedly-piggedly fashion but rather we wish to have a nice rural village. A church and school and an existing village are situated beside the site and this lends itself to twinning with the new development. Will the Minister of State say what progress is being made regarding this matter? Clonakilty is a priority town for decentralisation. Eighty jobs in the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources are being located in the town and 140 civil servants have volunteered for those 80 posts. The area has a long housing list and there is an acute need for housing. I ask the Minister of State to give a timescale for the completion of this project.

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