Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. First, I welcome the money that has been put into the community fund. However, the people of Fair Hill and Fairfield have not had a community centre for decades. For the past ten years, this brilliant community has again been trying to develop a community centre. At the moment, it has a two-bedroom house from Cork City Council, to which hundreds of children come for youth groups every week. There is also a men's shed group and an art group making use of this little two-bedroom house. This community has been failed by the Government and Cork City Council for decades. When one considers the number of children involved and the work they and the volunteers are doing, it is obvious they need help.

Cork City Council needs extra resources to help to deliver this assistance. Those involved are volunteers and they cannot be out every night of the week, working with children, families and the community. The Minister knows how hard it is to put an application together to get a site ready. More work needs to be done to support communities to be able to do this. It is a fabulous community.

See this speech in context