Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have heard the Taoiseach has visited west Cork twice in the past two years. Last year he went as far west as my parish in Goleen, passing my own door on the way to Schull and the last weekend he went to Bandon and Courtmacsherry. In contrast to the recent visit by the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, who is sitting next to the Taoiseach, my biggest regret is that the Taoiseach did not contact me about these visits as I would have welcomed him to west Cork and shown him the positive moves communities are making. I also would have asked him to meet communities that are struggling. Last year in Goleen, he posed for photos outside the most south-westerly post office in Ireland, which had closed its doors just three weeks before his visit and will never reopen again as it was not viable as many interested people told me.

The Taoiseach went on to Schull that morning and posed for photos outside the newly proposed marina which would have been a game-changer for the Mizen Peninsula. A number of years ago members of the community were taken to the office of a then Fine Gael Minister where they posed for photos with senior Ministers congratulating them on getting the money, only for the same massive funds to be redirected to the constituency of another Minister who was struggling politically at the time.

When in west Cork last week, did the Taoiseach meet members of Cork County Council to discuss the AIRO report, an independent report commissioned by Cork County Council showing that for decades it has been the local authority receiving the lowest amount of funding in the country? This is the funding for roads, local improvement scheme, LIS, projects, urban-village renewal as well as rural regeneration funds and many more.

On his visit did he meet the thousands of frustrated users of cars, lorries, tractors and other vehicles who daily drive on the most appalling roads in west Cork? These people in west Cork get up early in the morning. They pay their car tax, their insurance and their income tax in the expectation of having a half-decent road. There are roads like the bog road in Schull falling into the neighbour's field, and roads like the roundabout beside Dunnes Stores where a car going into a hole will need to be pulled out of it. There is the Skibbereen to Leap road where if the front or back wheels hit the holes, they will burst a tyre or damage a rim.

On his two trips to west Cork, did the Taoiseach visit the unfinished southern relief road in Bandon the completion of which is now decades behind? Did he look at the much-needed northern relief road in Bandon? Did he call into the people of Innishannon and apologise to them for not working with me on their relief road for which I and others in this Dáil have been begging? Did he call to the people of Bantry and apologise to the people in Bantry and Beara for not pushing for the relief road for Bantry? These projects lie decades behind. There is no movement but promises from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil politicians at each election. We are left without a sod turned or a cent given.

The people of west Cork are sick of being treated like second-class citizens when it comes to funds from the national purse. West Cork is sick of getting crumbs from the rich man's table while pristine tar is laid on top of pristine tar in and around our capital. When in west Cork, did the Taoiseach meet the council or National Transport Authority, NTA, to discuss simple passing bays that could be created between Bandon and Clonakilty, Clonakilty to Skibbereen on the N71, or Bandon to Ballineen on the R586, thus preventing drivers being held up behind lorries or tractors for half an hour some days?

After two visits to west Cork, has the Taoiseach addressed the AIRO report carried out by Cork County Council or has he progressed any of the bypasses I mentioned? If so, I ask him to tell me the progress now.

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