Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for affording me the opportunity to raise this issue. This relates to the town centre development in Naas, development of which has been suspended for the past seven or eight years much to the detriment of the image of the town. Naas is one of the most progressive provincial towns in the country. It has always been a go-getter in terms of business and it is still. The people of Naas promote their town to best national and international standards and the chamber does likewise in association with them. However, one of the obstacles in the promotion of Naas as a place to live, work, shop and do business are the cranes in suspension over it for a long period of time. This was supposed to be an iconic town centre development and it would have been had it taken place but now it has fallen into decay. This has occurred because the various agencies involved do not seem to be in a position to co-ordinate their efforts to get the operation moving again.

I have tabled a number of questions over the past six months or so in this House in an effort to focus attention on the need for the Minister of State to get involved and to encourage the local authority and various other bodies such as NAMA to get involved. They should be brought together in an effort to convince them of the urgent necessity to get the development moving again. It is not something that cannot be done. It can, will and has to be done. Two things will have to happen. The economic recovery, which applies throughout the country, will have to continue and it will. The other concerns the progress being made and confidence in the system to work.

Local people always look at their own town, main street or particular area to see if things are happening in they way they should. This is a classic example. It is right in the middle of the main street in the centre of the town. It is a showpiece for the town of Naas and it will become much more important in the future. There are a couple of other derelict sites around but this one in particular needs to be dealt with at the earliest possible date. Will the Minister of State use his good offices to engage with the various agencies involved with a view to finding out what is required in order to move the project forward? If there are obstacles that cannot be resolved let us know about them now, but we should concentrate on those that can be resolved and get the development moving again.

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