Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The first instinct of this Government is to back big corporations. The first instinct was to waste taxpayers' money. Millions of euro in legal fees were paid, just like the €320,000 spent on a bike shed. This is no surprise because Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have always had the backs of big corporations. At the same time they were spending millions to defend this disgraceful tax avoidance scheme, the people of this State were being hammered by austerity. Today I met mental health reform groups, PPFS workers throughout the State and the National Youth Council was here lobbying for more funding. Those and all the voluntary community and charity groups I have met say one thing, namely, that the cuts during the savage austerity years caused huge damage to communities, individuals, families and children.

We absolutely need to ensure this money is used properly and Sinn Féin will put €1 billion of the Apple tax money into an investment communities fund. The money would be invested in working-class communities that have been left behind by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. We would have a targeted capital investment fund for sports, play, community, youth and arts facilities and public spaces to transform communities that bore the brunt of that austerity. These facilities and sport centres would be for clubs like those in my area, including Corduff FC, Hartstown Huntstown FC, Erin go Bragh GAA, Mulhuddart FC, Tyrrelstown GAA and all these clubs, many of which are still operating out of containers in 2024. St. Oliver Plunketts has no winter training facilities and it is the same for Erin go Bragh. These provide absolutely essential services for our young people.

We have utterly inadequate youth facilities throughout Dublin West. I worked in Darndale for a good number of years and I always looked at the Sphere 17 building. I advise people to go and have a look at it and ask why it is not the standard in every community that we have a dedicated youth facility. I commend Fingal County Council on its recent focus on community parks and open spaces but imagine what more could be done, not just in Dublin West but throughout the State. Community is everything; it is the beating heart of life in Ireland and Sinn Féin is committed to backing communities held back by neglect and cuts to ensure they can reach their full potential.

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