Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

These activities took place in the past and that reality must be faced. Turning a blind eye to corruption and sleaze should never be an option in public life. People seek honesty, decency and fair play in politics.

On the subject of planning and development, I wish to discuss the tragic situation in my constituency, where recently the Silver Swan public house on Kilmore Road, Artane was reopened. This was the site of the tragic Stardust disaster in 1981, in which 48 people died, 241 people were seriously injured and hundreds of families were severely damaged. Despite this, a businessman had the brass neck to open a public house on the site on the 25th anniversary of the fire. This is unacceptable to people of the northside of Dublin and it will not be tolerated. I commend the families and protesters. I have been on the picket line myself for many nights in their support.

I wish to take the opportunity to ask the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Noel Ahern, to encourage the Cabinet to reopen the investigation into the Stardust fire tragedy. People have the right to truth and justice. They have submitted new forensic evidence on the issue of the Stardust's fire doors which should be examined. These are serious allegations which have never been faced properly. When one discusses planning and development for the future, these are also important elements. If that businessman possessed any courage, he would have provided a proper facility for young people in memory of the 48 victims on the site, rather than a public house. A major protest will be held in Drumcondra next Saturday at 10 a.m. I encourage all Members to attend.

When the issue of public money is being dealt with in the context of planning and development, it is important to recall and seriously question the amount of wasted public money in respect of the building and construction of major infrastructural projects. For example, my constituency contains the Dublin Port tunnel project. Some 240 houses have been severely damaged with cracked walls and kitchens, or subsidence in their gardens or extensions. However, the Government parties, as well as some of the major Opposition parties, are silent on this issue. It is unacceptable for the residents of Marino, Santry and Fairview to be treated in this fashion. I will stand up for them inside and outside the House as they demand their rights and seek support for the damage to their homes. Before the project commenced, they were told that nothing would happen. In reality, there is a major issue in respect of damage to homes, as well as floods and leaks. While people have appeared on television to assert that the residents are being alarmist, the water buckets are down underneath Marino, Fairview and Santry. I challenge people in respect of this issue.

Moreover, the project has run €200 million over budget and some predict this figure will rise to €400 million. I raise these issues because they are important and because the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has spent €30 million for a farm in north County Dublin which is valued by most sensible people at approximately €4 million. This kind of wastage of taxpayers' money is unacceptable and should be challenged. This money could have been used to end the scandal of patients on trolleys forever. Alternatively, the Government could have built all the new schools it needed, or could have made a major dent in the housing lists, or could have developed child care services. Above all, it could have assisted the elderly.

This is an important point. The Bill provides for the strengthening of the enforcement powers of local building control authorities. On foot of the recommendations made by the buildings regulations advisory body, the Bill introduces revised procedures for issue of fire safety certificates by local building control authorities to confirm compliance with part B — fire safety — of the building regulations for designs of new non-domestic buildings, that is, offices, factories, shops, hotels and new apartment blocks.

The Bill also introduces a disability access certificate to confirm that the design of new non-domestic buildings and apartment blocks complies with part M of the building regulations, that is, access for people with disabilities. I wish to highlight the rights of people with disabilities. Developers and planners have a duty to ensure the rights of tens of thousands of people with disabilities are protected. They have the right of access to buildings and it is not good enough to build apartment blocks or public buildings without respecting people with disabilities. I commend the disability groups, particularly those who for the past ten years have been directly involved in promoting the rights of people with disabilities to services and proper access to buildings. After all the talk, more than 3,000 families remain on residential respite and day care waiting lists. This is the reality for families who must cope with intellectual disabilities and is an important aspect of this debate. The section of the Bill which deals with disability access certificates should highlight the need to strongly support people with disabilities.

An action plan for Richmond Road is under development at present and I welcome Dublin City Council's input to the plan. However, it has a duty, before any further development commences on Richmond Road, to ensure the infrastructure to cater for new developments and residents is put in place. This includes upgrading the drainage, especially flood and foulwater, provisions. Considerable upgrading of the road infrastructure, including Grace Park Road, is required, along with provision for pedestrian, bus and cycle traffic. There should be consultations with Dublin Bus regarding the requirement to provide a bus service for Richmond Road and the large new apartment blocks and housing estates. The number of new traffic lights should be restricted by ensuring all the new developments feed into the main road appropriately. There should also be adequate street furniture and lighting as well as an upgrade of the freshwater supply.

I support the residents of Richmond Road, who should also be protected by the Garda. Recent incidents after a match between Shelbourne and Glentoran in which residents had their windows smashed also constitute a problem.

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