Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

The Minister should ask people in the area how they might be better served. Cork city has a low population and, in selling itself abroad, needs to improve its population base. It is a discussion for another day and a debate that is ongoing in the area. In terms of roads and services, people would be better served in coming under the remit of Cork City Council. Cork County Council is responsible for an area stretching from Allihies to the border with Waterford. In such a vast region, the areas on the periphery of the city suffer. It is probably the same in Limerick and Dublin.

The status of the quay walls in Cork city has varied from national to non-national. Meanwhile, the walls are crumbling into the river. As a result, the marina, which is a wonderful amenity, is subsiding. The quay walls have featured on Cork City Council's roads programme for as long as I have been there but the funding is never available. Nobody wants to spend up to €15 million on a project that will not improve the appearance and condition of roads in the area. The walls have historical and heritage value for the city but will be expensive to repair. Nobody is taking responsibility and the funding programme continues to be put forward every year. We received funding for a consultant's report and that report was produced, but no funding is forthcoming to undertake the necessary work. Perhaps this project should be extracted from the city council's roads programme and included elsewhere. I do not know whether it is any longer a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government or if it should be deferred to the Department of Transport.

The area I represent includes several large housing estates, some of which are in poor condition. There is a huge demand for traffic calming measures. Speed ramps are evident in many suburban areas in Dublin, some of them attractive and others not. Local authorities can introduce a speed limit of 30 km/h in a designated area, but this must be done in conjunction with some form of traffic calming. As someone who is active locally, this has emerged as the most important issue for residents in recent years. As we have progressed with resurfacing footpaths and improving public lighting, speeding motorists has become of primary concern.

I am sure the provision of facilities for pedestrians is something close to the Minister's heart. In most housing estates and other large suburban settlements, pedestrians, both old and young, do not have priority, even though it is their own neighbourhood. The car is king. We need to step back from that and recognise that people are living in these areas who wish to walk, cycle and push buggies. Elderly people want to feel comfortable in the area. We do not have enough pedestrian crossings and footpaths in many areas are not wide enough. Speed limits are also unsuitable. On the whole, there is not enough emphasis on safety for pedestrians and giving them priority, which I would like to see make a return.

We have seen some green routes coming through the city and county area. They accommodate buses but also provide safety for pedestrians and encourage people to cycle or walk. We have seen they are very effective. Will the Acting Chairman indicate how much time I have left in my slot before I adjourn the debate?

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