Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We are in the midst of one serious mess in Galway at the moment. The results of what has happened, as Deputy Kyne has outlined, have really thrown the community sector, rural communities, the community in Connemara and the community in the rest of County Galway into total turmoil. No one in Galway wants this situation which has come to the fore. Everyone agrees on this point. Galway Rural Development, GRD, wanted two lots. FORUM wanted two lots. The Minister of State has been to Letterfrack and visited FORUM. She has seen the immense work carried out there to turn what was a very small rural town into a thriving community with so many different community projects. All of them are centred on a community approach of which FORUM is an element.

I know there are things happening to do with judicial reviews and so forth. However, we need to take a step back and look at this mess. No one foresaw it leading to such difficulties. Staff in FORUM and staff in Galway Rural Development are terrified about losing their jobs and communities across Galway are upset. The solution is to find some way for the Department to cut out the legal process and the need for people to go to court. The Department needs to say that two lots are ideal in this situation. This is what both companies would have wanted originally and this is what the citizens and residents of Galway want. They want two companies to allow this to happen.

There may be ways we can do this. Could we allow subcontracting between the two companies or for funds to be transferred in another way? Could we redo the lot again? We need to look at all kinds of options. This is the only way out of it. If someone had been vying for this situation and saying it was a good idea, then the Minister of State could say there is an argument. However, there is no one in County Galway saying that what is happening now is the right way to go. Everyone says it is wrong. Everyone says that FORUM has an excellent record and that Connemara and the east and the west of Galway need that separate independent unique voice which works so well and knows the community. If we can find a way through this without delaying and getting involved in technicalities, let us do it now. Let us put these people and the communities at ease once and for all.

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