Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response, in particular his acknowledgement that linking the project with the Dunkettle project offers the best opportunity to fast-track it. With regard to the private aspect of public private partnerships, is the Minister confident that there is sufficient interest or signs that there will be at a time when tender documents can be designed for this purpose to enable the project to proceed seamlessly once the land is purchased? As I understand it, not all of the land must be purchased by the time the project may be ready for a public private partnership tender process. I welcome what the Minister stated and urge him to keep the project at the top of his list of priorities. I appreciate what he stated about the Gort to Tuam, New Ross and Enniscorthy projects, but, as I stated, this is critical regional infrastructure. That is not parochialism; rather, it is regional infrastructure in counties Cork and Kerry and which is significant in the south west. I urge the Minister to keep it at the top of his agenda.

See this speech in context