Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)

The lack of a proper road in Cobh has stifled plans for more than 1,300 council houses in the area. This is one of the reasons An Bord Pleanála gave for refusing an application by a company to move into the former IFI plant in Marino Point. We also have a massive tourism industry in Cobh, but our only bridge is the Belvelly Bridge. Under the current plans, we have heard it will be this way for at least ten years. It is dangerous for visitors travelling in and out of this tourist destination, but it is unbelievable for the commuters coming in and out of Cobh every day.

We are talking about water and Uisce Éireann. We have had boil water notices in Whitegate now for ten years, on and off. Uisce Éireann is probably the worst company to have to engage with. You have a better chance of emptying the Red Sea with a bucket with no ass in it than getting a reply from Irish Water or Uisce Éireann.

We are also always talking about critical infrastructure. I have raised this issue many times. I have written to TII and the NTA perhaps three to four times annually. I refer to Youghal railway and getting connectivity in east Cork. It would open up a massive corridor for development, housing and so on. I call on all the relevant Ministers, including those for transport and housing, to get all the Departments working together.

I have been listening to talk of capacity since I was on the council. I remember when Uisce Éireann came along and what it told Cork County Council about one of the local development plans. I think Monard was the village planned. The county council was basically told to buzz off and that Uisce Éireann was not going to bring water and sewage services in there. I raised the issue in the County Hall at the time and asked the council officials if it was true that Irish Water, as it was at the time, was telling the council where we could and could not build houses.

This issue is vital. People are scratching their heads. I ask the Government to please not be a reactive one like we have had for the past several years. I ask it to try to be a proactive Government and to listen to everybody. We can work together. If we do not have the critical infrastructure, we will not have affordable housing and we will start to lose a generation.

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