Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House to take this matter. This is an extraordinary situation. In early 2004, 16 hectares of land were made available to Cork County Council to provide affordable houses to people in west Cork. From the outset, this land, in an idyllic setting beside a church and school in a local village, was ideal for the provision of housing for those who cannot afford to purchase a site and build their own house. The Fine Gael councillors in west Cork, however, tried to prevent the scheme. I want the Minister of State and the Department to ensure that three years later, this project will commence. Not a sod has been turned so far.

The entire project was frustrated and every possible obstacle put in its way from the outset, something I find astonishing after a quarter of a century in public life. A total of 16 hectares of prime land was made available and the architectural department in Cork County Council put its expertise and professionalism to work, designing a beautiful eco-village where young people could make a home in a location with every facility for children and adults. Out of nothing short of rural snobbery, the local Fine Gael councillors decided to stop this because they did not want to lower the tone of the area. It is incredible.

This culminated on 22 May 2006 in a motion before a meeting of Cork County Council to allow the scheme to go ahead. An amendment was put down by Councillor Maura Cal McCarthy, seconded by Councillor Kevin Murphy, to reject this eco-village at Darrara, Clonakilty, County Cork. A vote was taken and Councillors K. Murphy, Kelly, Ryan, Canty, Pyne, O'Doherty, M. Murphy, Buckley, Sheahan and McCarthy voted against it. Thankfully a majority of the council voted in favour. To this day, however, the project is progressing at a snail's pace and no work has been done on the site.

I want to ensure the people in the area I represent can get an affordable home of their own and that the land in this idyllic village is put at their disposal. I would like a commitment from the Minister of State that the Department will ensure the project will go ahead despite the obstruction of the Fine Gael councillors. It is so incredible. In my 25 years in this House representing the people of Cork South-West, I have never come across anything like it. It is down to nothing other than sheer rural snobbery, not wanting to bring what Fine Gael would regard as people who are looking for social or affordable housing into a locality where they would lower the tone. I reject that.

This means nothing to me politically, I am not standing in the next election, but I want to ensure before leaving public life that this project goes ahead. I have only until May and I want the Minister of State who has responsibility for affordable housing schemes to give me a commitment that the project will go ahead. There will only be 100 houses but it is vital that local people have a chance to buy their own homes and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government pushes ahead with this project.

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