Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted for the Taoiseach. I wish him well in his position, as I do the other Ministers who have been elevated into positions.

Once upon a time, Fine Gael was known as the farmers' party and Fianna Fáil was known as the workers' party. That is no more. It is very shocking for people who were members of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to see the way those parties have gone since they joined the Green Party in government, and that they have forgotten the people who put them there in the first place. Once upon a time, there was a leader from County Cork. Now, Independent Ireland has a leader from Cork and a general secretary from County Limerick. It is as if history is repeating itself.

As a member of the Limerick Motor Club and a rally person, I am telling the Government that €300 million in investment is being looked for. All the Government has to spend is €5 million a year for a €95 million return. It spent €20 million on two referendums that it got completely wrong, with no return. If the WRC comes to Limerick, it will support counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Kerry. That is what it will support. All the Government's TDs and Ministers came to meetings in counties Waterford and Kerry to say they were supporting the WRC, but the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, is holding it on a knife edge at the moment and we do not know whether we will get it or not. Some €300 million will come into this country if the Government gives the investment to the WRC today. If it does not, every Government party will be held accountable for giving promises it gave in the past. All the rally people in Ireland will hold them responsible for loss of an investment into this country of €300 million.

I ask the Minister and Taoiseach for that investment. If the WRC does not get its investment by 15 April, the Government will hear about it at the doors.

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