Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Joan Collins, Pringle and Connolly and their teams for this motion. It is a very effective and simple solution to the lack of basic community infrastructure across the country. The ring-fencing of development levies for amenities and material improvements is a common-sense approach that will help enhance localities and provide people of all ages with facilities to socialise and be active members of their community.

The lack of basic facilities, from playgrounds to public toilets and active infrastructure, is in some form or other one of the major issues raised by constituents. Towns and villages across west Cork are screaming out for amenities that are considered fundamental in other European countries. Playgrounds are one of the key examples. These should be standard in all areas but the only reason places like Innishannon, Bandon and Bantry have or will have playgrounds is due to campaigning and fund-raising by families. Public toilets are important for accessibility, families and tourism, yet many of our towns, villages and beaches lack them.

A glaring issue is new housing estates being built with no consideration for the amenities that will be needed. Years later, some of these are provided on an ad hocbasis. The planning system does these things backwards. Community needs are an afterthought. Developers are left to do the bare minimum - to make as much profit as possible and then later the community and local authority will foot the bill for facilities.

If the Government took this motion seriously, it would transform communities across Ireland. Developers and local authorities would provide the infrastructure they need for people of all ages and capacities. It would also hold developers and speculators to account and address political clientelism. Amenities would be provided as a matter of course and not because of who knows who or who is in government. For this reason alone, it is likely the Government will never act on this motion.

There is a significant disconnect between the residential planning process and the provision of basic community facilities in Ireland. Whole housing estates can be built in cities, towns and villages with no consideration for community needs, active transport links and the requirements of children, families, older people or people with disabilities. The reverence in which the Government parties hold developers means it would be unfathomable to ask them to provide these facilities. Then there is no link between the current levies for public infrastructure and community needs.

It is common sense that if a new housing estate is built in a suburb, town or village, there will be new families which will put a strain on existing structures and lead to a demand for more facilities. It should happen automatically that community and sports centres are built or improved, active travel infrastructure is included, crèche facilities are added and potentially the local national school is expanded. However, in essence, this does not happen. The lack of joined-up thinking is disgraceful. It is a disservice to communities and a significant waste of public money. The easiest and most efficient approach is to add amenities during the design phase. Each development should have the principles of accessible and inclusive community facilities embedded in it.

Since the pandemic, the importance of local walking and cycling infrastructure has become even more clear. When a new estate is being built, the developer should be obliged to provide accessible active transport connections to the town or village centre. A guarantee of footpaths and cycleways benefits the whole community.

Healthy and strong communities are enabled through shared public spaces. Benches and good footpaths help older people get out and meet others. Cycleways help children get to school in a healthy and safe manner. Accessible public toilets are essential for family life and many people with disabilities.

We all know the importance of these resources. I can ream off countless cases of where these amenities are needed in Cork South-West alone. They include new and improved playgrounds for Belgooly, Kinsale, Clonakilty and Bantry; operating public toilets at the Dock Beach, Long Strand and Ballineen; a glaring need for enhanced community centres and sports facilities in all major towns; and a significant absence of spaces for teenagers and young adults.

Too often, the communities themselves have to resolve these issues. All I can do is praise the people of all towns and villages in west Cork who have campaigned, fundraised and fought for community resources. The only reason Innishannon and Bandon have playgrounds is due to committed groups of volunteers. I have been working with people in Drimoleague and Kealkill who are calling for the most basic infrastructure to safely walk around their villages. Similar to many other areas, there is a significant traffic problem, compounded by poor footpaths and, although I was going to say poor road crossings, there are actually no road crossings. This severely impacts on the capacity of children to go to school by active means together, fostering good habits and independence. Older people or those with reduced mobility do not feel safe or confident going down to the post office or shop. Drimoleague residents are taking a proactive approach with the development of well-researched plans for the council to work with them on improving the safety and appearance of the area. Funding should be available for these projects as a matter of course.

These cases represent the larger issue of public services in Ireland. Years of austerity and neoliberal policies have left State bodies and local government threadbare. Community facilities and safe infrastructure should be automatically provided. It should not be a matter of who shouts loudest or what funding scheme is available this year. Different groups in equal need are forced to run bureaucratic and logistical gauntlets in the hopes that they will be awarded funding. This is simply wrong. Unfortunately, this approach enables public representatives to exaggerate their importance. It facilitates clientelism and allows Ministers and Government Deputies to say they personally got funding for a project when the opposite is true. Over years, the Government parties have set up a system that does not require the provision of facilities when housing is being developed, nor is funding ring-fenced for community needs. The system they have created withholds investment in communities and, then when it is granted on an unequal and ad hocbasis, they claim success. It is hypocritical and more and more people are seeing straight through it.

This is an extremely important motion. It goes to the heart of how community needs are consistently overlooked, disadvantaged areas are disregarded and our planning system is still geared towards developers and not ordinary people. Community amenities are not an optional extra or a prize to be given by the Government. They should be automatically provided to all urban and rural residents. Social and economic pressures are putting a strain on communities. Far-right agitators are trying to take advantage of these stresses. Local and accessible community spaces are more important than ever to foster community spirit and participation in society.

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