Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)

I thank the Minister of State for the response. I acknowledge that Deputy Denise Mitchell has been very supportive, along with the other TDs for this area and all the public representatives from all parties, in supporting the local communities on this. I know the Minister of State has not written his response but there are a few things in it that are factually wrong. Neither Clongriffin nor Belmayne, or any part of them, is in the Fingal County Council area. They are entirely in Dublin City Council. I know the Minister of State does not know this but it is disappointing that the Department, in writing this answer, does not know this.

Second, it is factually wrong to talk about the LIHAF funding providing access to Clongriffin train-DART station because that LIHAF funding was provided for access. That funding was never drawn down, but it was provided for access in the Baldoyle area, which is in Fingal County Council, and which, also, is not in Clongriffin or Belmayne. It is disappointing that the Department, in writing this response, could not get its facts right.

Third, on the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, there was an application to Dublin City Council for funding from that but it was rejected and no funding was received. That also was a disappointment for the area.

Fourth, to reiterate, the reason there is a particular deficit in community infrastructure here is not because the local authority has not been following the steps set out in the reply. It is because Government was not providing a sufficient amount of social housing in other areas and a lot of housing here was then provided, which was not initially planned, and for which there were no development levies. While the area was planned to have development levies to pay for community infrastructure, due to Government policy a lot of that housing came without any development levies. The problem with that is that it still needs infrastructure. Social housing still needs infrastructure. If you are going to get social housing, which is desperately needed, it has to come with infrastructure and community facilities. To be fair to Dublin City Council, it is trying to fix this. They are putting in €13 million but Government has got to do a bit of the lifting here as well.

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