John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

This evening's debate concerns an issue that goes to the heart of how we, as a modern and caring society, deal with complex issues involving the revitalisation of communities, communities that, for a variety of reasons, may not have benefited to the same extent as others from the significant social and economic changes that have taken place in this country in the past 20 years.

I acknowledge the genuine concerns of the Deputies opposite and their long-standing commitment to the communities they represent. I hope they too will accept that they do not have a monopoly in this regard and that I and my colleagues on this side of the House are equally concerned for the communities involved.

I welcome the fact that some of the previous speakers stated that what we are discussing is too serious an issue to turn into a political football. I have no doubt that there may be differences between the approach taken by the Government and the Opposition and I am happy that this debate be used as an opportunity to explore those differences. However, I would like to think that all Deputies in this House share the fundamental aim of building strong, sustainable communities.

In regard to a remark made by Deputy Ó Snodaigh, my party does not receive a single cent from any developer. There was an implication in his remark that we were somehow bank-rolling the people involved, but that is simply not the case.

A number of speakers seem to be of the opinion that a developer may walk away——

See this speech in context