Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, but that has not happened up to now. A meeting should take place to see what could happen.

As the Senator will know, Clonmel was slow to progress. The fact is that if one has a master plan then the Department would be willing to engage. One must have a lead authority. We had success in Tipperary because its county council took the lead and brought along the VECs and all of the other organisations that will now use it. If the same proposal came forward from Westmeath then I believe one can move the situation on.

We need to keep up the pressure. A lot of work needs to be done to get people to communicate in order to reach agreement but there is potential. As the Senator has said, the building has been left idle too long, which is wrong. Such a situation is hard on organisations that want to avail of the premises. I understand where the Senator is coming from. Now that he has raised the matter here we should have a report on the meeting to which I referred. We can then set up a meeting for the Senator to discuss the matter.