Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)

As the Minister of State will be aware, the programme for Government sets out quite clearly that a task force will be set up to deal with the challenges that exist in Cork city centre. There is a need for major redevelopment and for an overall plan to deal with those challenges. In real terms, a lot of progress has been made in Cork city but we need to work through how we can grow and develop the city centre into the future. We have already set out proposals in respect of improving the transport system from Ballincollig to Cork University Hospital, Munster Technological University and University College Cork, the city centre, the railway station and on to Mahon.

In the past eight weeks alone, over 1,150 social or affordable housing units have been identified for construction in Cork. At the ESB site in Wilton, there will be 350 units, 600 units at the Tramore Road site, which previously belonged to CNP, and 217 units at the Sextant bar site. There is development in some areas, but we still have a lot of buildings in the city centre that are vacant and that need to be totally refurbished. In addition, we need to use compulsory purchase orders to move on those properties that have been lying idle for a considerable period.

We have to have an overall strategy. For instance, in the area in which my office is located in Blackpool, we have a flood relief scheme that has been going on since 2013. Twelve years on, we still have not turned a sod in the context of dealing with that issue. We need to have an overall plan. The important issue is that we need to put in place a task force to deal with that. Such a task force would not just involve the city council; all of the relevant Government agencies and community groups must also work together to develop and grow the city centre. For instance, I offer the simple example of one project I was working on when I was Minister of State, namely having a day centre for people who are homeless. We have more than 600 people in the city who are homeless and who are in night shelters from 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. The following morning, they are back out on the street. That is manageable when there is fine weather. When the weather is not fine, however, they have nowhere to go. We need that day centre. We have identified a building. It is 13 months since I attended a joint meeting of the city council, the HSE and the Departments of Health and housing. The project has still not been progressed in the meantime. A task force is essential to make sure that all of these projects move forward. We also need to make sure that it deals not only with the needs of businesses, but also with the social needs of the area as well. We need to sit down and discuss matters.

A task force was set up for Dublin.

There is now a very good programme. A plan was introduced and there is a programme of action to be taken, which is now up and running. There is a clear timeline for delivery in that area in Dublin. I wish all those involved in the Dublin project well but we also need to do this in Cork. It is the second biggest city, and we need to grow and develop it. That is why we need a task force.

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