Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----and development has been extremely slow. The park has significant potential but it needs to be looked at again. The city and suburbs will expand and regardless of where boundaries are drawn, by and large, the city will expand to the east and west. From Ballincollig in the west to Carrigtwohill in the east, one is talking of a span of almost 30 km between the city and the suburbs, yet there is nothing planned for Cork in so far as I can see in terms of additional rail projects. Road projects are included, which are very important such as the M28, the N40 interchange and the N40 to Limerick. They are key projects that will make a difference but they will not be able to carry all the additional population. They might get us another ten or 15 years but that is the extent of it.

About 30 or 40 years ago, there was a land use and transportation strategy in Cork and it laid the foundations for the transport infrastructure we have in terms of the South Ring Road and a variety of other things. There is a need for something similar now. If the city is allowed to develop in the geographic way it is planned, there will be a traffic nightmare ahead unless we invest heavily in public transport, in particular on an east-west basis. It is also key to open up that huge area of the docklands which will facilitate intensive high-density urban development. That is crucial. I urge that the current impasse with local government structures is resolved and I am pleased to see there will be dialogue between the two local authorities. We will see how that will progress but it is vitally important to resolve it.

I will make some general observations, one of which relates to local government. We have a very weak system of local government in this country. The vast majority of the powers that are devolved to local government are controlled by executives. We cannot reasonably expect the other major cities and towns to be able to develop in a balanced way to counteract the extensive growth of Dublin without greater independence being exercised by local elected representatives. There is an urgent need to examine that issue.

While my constituency is not especially rural, I believe broadband is potentially the game-changer in terms of the development of rural areas. The ability to allow people to work at home is crucial to ensure sustainable rural communities and strong towns so that people do not have to move to cities to work. High quality broadband must be a very high priority.

I alluded the transport in the context of Cork specifically but investment in the rail network is crucial, as outlined by Deputy Eamon Ryan. We cannot keep putting more and more cars onto the roads as that is unsustainable.

Tá easnamh áirithe sa cháipéis seo ó thaobh na Gaolainne. Is dóigh liom go gcaithfear é sin a réiteach. Language planning is now happening on a geographic basis. Údarás na Gaeltachta and Foras na Gaeilge, under the Acht na Gaeilge, are doing that on a geographic basis. Language is being planned geographically in the major towns near Gaeltacht areas and in Gaeltacht areas generally and it would be remiss not to make reference to that in this plan. It could easily be done as so much of the work has been done and it is just a question of integrating it into the overall plan. I urge the Minister of State to consider that point.

See this speech in context