Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)

I have to agree with my colleagues. The story Michael Collins tells about west Cork is exactly the same as the story we see in Cork North-Central. We cannot build a single home in Carrignavar because there is no water treatment plant. The infrastructure in Glanmire - which is in my constituency, which is the location of the parish I was born in and which is where I got my biggest vote in the last local election - is over-facilitated with housing estate after housing estate being built and no infrastructure being delivered.

I thank my colleagues in Sinn Féin for bringing this up. We are going round continuously on this treadmill and talking about the lack that exists. Ministers are identifying it. We are all talking about it and have all identified where the problems and hold-ups lie. They relate to planning permission and Irish Water. Why the hold-up with the Mallow relief road and the northern distributor road?

8 o’clock

Where is the infrastructure? We have all identified it: north, south, east and west. I find it ironic that a number of Members come into this House and you would swear to God they never held a portfolio when they go around, pretending they are Mighty Mouse in Leinster House and Mickey Mouse down in their own constituency. It is about time we started doing something about it and working together. Let us get off the pot. We are at a stage where we have identified the problems with Irish Water and with planning permission but we are not achieving or doing anything. We are talking and talking and going around in circles. It is like the Mad Hatter's tea party inside here, with nothing being done.

We just need to get to work. We need to listen to the developers, get the people in the right places, move on Irish Water, get the infrastructure built and just do it. I am sick to death of coming to debates here, week after week, with Members saying this, that and the other. The Minister's own TDs are saying it to him. He knows it himself. We have to just get it done. We have to move and stop talking about it.

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