Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader arrange a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, who is responsible for the Office of Public Works, because I want to know how these registers of protected structures at regional level work? We have a situation in Ennistymon in County Clare where two buildings are allegedly on this register of protected structures. They are known as Blake's and Linnane's and are on the N67, the main connection to the Cliffs of Moher. I found out this morning that the National Roads Authority is supporting the demolition of three or four other buildings and is building a bridge at a cost to the taxpayer of at least €6 million instead of just demolishing what are two derelict buildings and putting in a roundabout, which would cost a fraction of that amount.

We have come out of a bailout in which Irish people the length and breadth of this country suffered enormously. I consider what the NRA is proposing as a scandalous waste of taxpayers' money. Somebody somewhere needs to be accountable for these decisions. What is happening in regard to these two buildings is completely unacceptable. I very much question whether they have any national heritage importance. Serious questions need to be answered on this issue by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. Let us start with the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, and invite him to the House to explain how this register of protected structures works and how buildings can be removed from it when they are holding a whole community to ransom and, ultimately, forcing people out of their homes, when they could potentially be purchased through the compulsory purchase order legislation. We are protecting what I would describe as two kips.