Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept that the Minister's Department specifically will not have the capital funding required to purchase the 40-acre site. The State has invested hugely in the area with capital investment over the years and ongoing current funding. If the land is sold to a private entity, to a developer, these services will break up. Huge work has gone into building up the family therapeutic service. In her former role as rapporteur, Dr. Carol Coulter said this is one of the best in the country. It is nationally recognised and is a national service.

Such facilities do not come easily. I know that as a former Minister. This is a wonderful site with tremendous potential. I understand there was interest in the site by a particular developer who has left the scene due to other issues. Some of it is zoned amenity and so on. I ask the Minister to give a commitment to talk to other Ministers and raise this at Cabinet level. While I am supportive of the event centre, we can find €20 million very quickly for that project, which has taken five or six years to develop. We can find that no problem because of political imperatives. It has to be done for politics as the election is coming, the Government promised it, and its attitude is that if it is a case that it cannot deliver it, it had better find another €8 million or €10 million to do so. Here is an incredible range of services for the most vulnerable in the country, the most vulnerable women, families and children. A good model has been developed. There is a mental health inpatient facility for teenagers and children. Why is it that the State cannot be as proactive as it is in other areas, do the right thing for the future, and develop even greater synergies in future? This is possible and doable, bringing together all the State agencies and Departments and using them to get the right result for all concerned. Will the Minister make the commitment to engage with her colleagues to endeavour to achieve that outcome?

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