Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are afraid that the public consultation process is merely a box-ticking exercise. The evidence for such a belief is that the project was started back in 2011 and, as the Department's officials admitted at a meeting last week, very little has happened since. The Department was restructured and there was a move from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, etc. The sections do not seem to have moved offices too much.

As I have said already, there was bitter anger at the meeting due to the way this project has panned out. The local councillors and residents on the consultative committee are not happy. In fact, some of them are very angry. As I suggested in my request, which was left unanswered, it would go a long way if the Minister were to meet the people, or even a delegation of those who are or have been members of the consultative committee, and the local councillors. It would mean a lot if she could meet them and listen directly to their concerns. Such a meeting would also be an opportunity for her to hear their sincere appreciation for the world heritage site, which is an acknowledgement of the location's beauty, history and art. Let there be no mistake about that. If she met them as part of the consultative process it would go a long way. No reasonable Minister could fail to be moved by the stories of sons and daughters, nieces and nephews having to move out of a community. The Minister of State would not put up with such a situation in his county of Tipperary or in any rural area. It is unfair that this parish and a half must put up with such a situation.