Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not know if the Minister feels it is appropriate. I buy the Donegal Democrat every week. It has two newspapers and excellent coverage. Does the Minister think it appropriate that the notices were in a newspaper with only 15 sales in the area being impacted in Falcarragh? I do not believe it was appropriate. That is the reality. The Minister can talk about a Garda station in Letterkenny being open for 24 hours, but this is like saying that the public notification for works to be carried out in Leinster House will be on view in the Garda station in Bray. It is the same distance from Gortahork to Letterkenny as it is for me to jump in a car from this House to Bray. People in the area did not know about this and did not have an opportunity to make a submission.

Generally, public meetings on different things are not well attended, but when 600 or 700 people turn out to a public meeting, then we know there is an issue in the community. When thousands of people sign a petition, then one really knows there are issues.

The core of the issue comes down to a question. What does the Minister do with the 18 applications in for this area? The area is one of unique beauty in our county and in our country. The Minister has the final decision on those 18 applications and he tells us that we must wait until they are published in the Donegal Democrat. Will the Minister tell this House of the Oireachtas what decision he has made on those 18 applications? Has he granted or refused them? Did the Minister grant the applications with or without amendments? The people listening to this debate at home are worried about what will happen in an area of huge unemployment but which is seeing an uplift in tourism with the Wild Atlantic Way. These people do not want to look out at a beautiful area such as Magheraroarty and Ballyness and, when the sea is out, be looking at trestles as far as the eye can see. They do not want to see that. They want to make sure that people will have employment in their community. They want to make sure that what they have grown up with will be there and that they can hand it down to the next generation.

I will warn the Minister. This is my last opportunity here. If the Minister has granted those applications, this community will fight tooth and nail, and I will be with them every step of the way. I will appeal this, and I am sure there will be hundreds if not thousands of others too. Will the Minister clarify what the decision has been so that people will know? Has he granted these applications, has he refused them or has he granted them with alterations?

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