David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I am grateful to the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to speak on this matter. An €800 million investment has been lost to Cork in particular and Munster and Ireland in general. One of the largest factories ever to be established in Ireland seems now to be gone. It is a disgrace, therefore, that we can only spend two and a half minutes talking about it in the House. It is no wonder the House is being lampooned across the country when we are not allowed to talk about something as important as this for more than two and a half minutes.

Deputy Ned O'Keeffe is suggesting the Government knew or should have known that this announcement would be made. I would like the Minister to comment on that. I would also like to know what will happen to the infrastructure. The situation in the vicinity of the site is a mess with a 60 km/h speed limit on a main, arterial dual carriageway route. It is dangerous and it should never have been permitted. I want the Minister to indicate that the Government will ensure the necessary roadworks, which should have been completed years ago, will be carried out at the site.

Will the Minister tell the House what will happen at the site now? Will it be left to become a weed-grown eyesore at the side of the road? What discussions will he enter into with Amgen? Will the Government make available time to allow a proper debate on this most urgent, serious issue? Does the Minister not agree that it is a disgrace to provide Opposition Deputies with only two and a half minutes each to speak? After ten years as a Member, I am given two and a half minutes in which to raise the matter and I cannot even question the Minister on it. It is no wonder the House is lampooned and laughed at across the country.

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