Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)

I thank the Minister for the opportunity to put on the record of Dáil Éireann issues relating to the Ballybay wetlands project.

The overall context of the motion is that tourism revenues and visitor numbers in counties Monaghan and Cavan are, if not the lowest, certainly among the lowest in the entire country, while there is a serious underspend on tourism projects in the BMW region with much of the funding being diverted elsewhere. It is therefore reasonable to expect that every help and assistance should be given to good and sustainable tourism projects in County Monaghan.

In my opinion, the Ballybay wetlands project is a good development with a hugely committed development association working to ensure its success. Of course my opinion — which is just an opinion — does not count, but perhaps Fáilte Ireland could take into account the opinion of others, such as the International Fund for Ireland, which has offered substantial funding for the project and Area Development Management-Combat Poverty Agency, ADM-CPA, which has provided funding for a worker for two years. It might also take account of the opinions of Monaghan County Council, which has totally indemnified the project, and of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which has approved the legal agreement between Monaghan County Council and Ballybay Development Association. All those experts, groups and organisations have been willing to support the wetlands project, but Fáilte Ireland has not been able to come on board with the final piece of the jigsaw to start this worthwhile and much needed project.

I fail to understand why Fáilte Ireland will not accept the bona fides of Monaghan County Council and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Perhaps the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing or perhaps the left hand is just ignoring the right hand deliberately. Whatever is happening, Ballybay wetlands project is in the middle and the project could be lost just because one agency will not take the word and assurances of another.

I am not sure what the Minister's role in the situation is, but we cannot continue to allow a community group to find itself in the middle between, on the one hand, a county council and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and, on the other, Fáilte Ireland. The community finds itself with no redress and no way out. That is just not acceptable. I do not know what the Minister can do, but someone must do something to move the situation forward.

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