Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the children from County Wexford to the Visitors Gallery.

The Minister of State is well aware of the shock and upset caused by the sudden closure of Harold's Cross greyhound stadium and the lack of consultation with dog owners on the issue. That issue must be dealt with over a period of time. A number of part-time workers have been in contact with me to say they are losing significant earnings because of the reduced crowds as a result of the protests at Shelbourne Park. We must resolve the issue of Harold's Cross greyhound stadium because if the protests continue, the jobs of permanent, part-time and temporary staff will be at risk because of the loss of income at Shelbourne Park. I ask the Minister of State to exert some pressure to ensure the issue is resolved. It can only be resolved through discussion and negotiations and anything that could be done in that regard would be much appreciated. This is particularly relevant for part-time staff who are greatly out of pocket. The permanent staff are still in employment and not seeing a loss of income.

The other element of this issue is that the site in Harold's Cross, close to the centre of the city, is six and a half acres in size. If the stadium is not to be reopened, it is very important that the local community be consulted. This area of the city will see its population grow by approximately one third in the next decade. I ask the Minister of State to consider this. The area will experience huge population growth, yet it does not currently contain a field in which a child could kick a football or a second level college could be built for students. There is a shortage of secondary schools in the area. A proportion of the site, if the greyhound stadium is not to be reopened, could be used to serve that need. It is currently designated as a Z9 zone, which means that the development of only 5% of the site is permissible, which means that it is not in the interests of the taxpayer or the Irish Greyhound Board to put it on the market at this stage. What is required is a local area plan. I ask the Minister of State to get involved in that process. When the population of an area grows by one third and a six and a half acre site becomes available, we have to make sure there is sustainable planning. I ask the Minister of State to look at entering into consultation with the local community before any long-term decision is made about the track.

I highlight again the possible loss of the stadium. The Irish Greyhound Board has sought consultation on the sale of the site. It could represent a significant loss to the taxpayer if the site is sold at below market value, as currently configured. We need to take a step back and ask what is in the best interests of the city and the taxpayer. My fear is that a developer will purchase the site and sit on it for five to ten years. We would then have an unoccupied six and a half acre site in the city, not being used for the purposes of recreation, education or housing.