Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If a hotel of this scale and esteem was opening, people would be hard-pressed to stay standing in the stampede of Government Ministers who would be running to cut the ribbon on it. The Government can intervene and take credit when facilities are opening, private or otherwise, but when there are problems that are caused by a Government scheme, all of a sudden we are told the Government cannot intervene.

This is a crucial economic project for the region that has been denied to the people of Carrickmacross, south Monaghan and the wider region. It is having profound implications for our ability to attract tourism. All of the very good initiatives that the Minister outlined will count for nought if we have no place for people to stay when they come to Carrickmacross. We had a top-class facility for conferences, concerts and engagements of all descriptions, and we had a place where people could stay in the most salubrious of locations with brilliant views and great access to golfing and the other amenities that south Monaghan has to offer. That has been taken away from the people of Carrickmacross and now there are major concerns about what the future of that hotel premises will look like. It is imperative that the Government takes an active, hands-on approach to this issue. I appeal to the Minister to take a hands-on approach to ensure that this hotel returns to being a fully functional top-class tourism and economic driver for our region.

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