Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very disappointed with the response because it is the same one I have been getting and the Department has all the details of the case I have been raising. It is exactly the same response I have been getting for two years. If I am frustrated, the Minister of State can imagine how frustrated the 12 families are. Notwithstanding that, I appreciate his sincerity and I know he is very genuine in his response. I appreciate that and it gives me a great deal of comfort. I appreciate that there are difficulties in moving this on and there are many different Acts but, as one of the family members said to me, this review is going on so long and there is nothing there for us: how long does it take to review nothing twice?

I will take the Minister of State up on his offer. I will meet with him and his officials in the coming weeks and we will try to progress this not just for the 12 families in Clonakilty, who are my paramount concern, but also because there is an equality issue here. What I appreciate most is that the Minister of State grasped this. Every citizen is entitled to equal dignity and for the State to shine the same light on them. That is what is at issue here above and beyond everything else. The trauma of losing one's livelihood is so severe and so difficult, but then to feel one is treated unequally in the eyes of the State and not afforded the same attention when the media takes such an interest in the conditions of others who are in the same position compounds that. I thank the Minister of State for his offer, which I will take up, and I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise this issue in the Dáil. I look forward to making progress with the Minister of State and his officials in the Department.

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