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

I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle for affording me this further opportunity to raise the issue of the development of the town centre in Naas, County Kildare, which has been stalled for approximately ten years. Suffice it to say that many gallons of water have passed under many bridges since I first raised this issue. I was initially informed that it was about to be resolved. A great deal of work has been done with a view to bringing the issue to a conclusion. The reason it has taken up so much of our time is that it was a landmark site in the centre of the town. For many of the ten years in question, we had two cranes hanging over the town like two albatrosses waiting for something to happen. Thankfully, the cranes were removed in the past few months and at least that part of the problem - the constant reminder of what needed to be done - is gone. I know that considerable work is going on all the time and that all public representatives have tried to ensure that the matter is expedited.

The Minister with responsibility in this area is unable to be here tonight but I hope he has been able to supply his stand-in with more information for us. I am informed that there is information available locally. I have been involved in attempting to push the issue further along and to bring it to a position whereby we can say as we approach a new year that at last we have put that behind us and can welcome the new year on the grounds that we have turned a new leaf and can see rapid progress taking place. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to reply. I would hope that the niggling outstanding issues such as rights of way, way-leaves and arbitration have been resolved. If they have not, they should be. There is no excuse for somebody attempting to tell me in six or eight months that we are still waiting for a resolution in that area and that maybe the property in question should be sold on with a flawed title. The answer to that is "No". Enough time has passed and enough interest has been expressed in the issue to facilitate a satisfactory conclusion and a hopeful turn as we await the new year.

See this speech in context