Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber, where he has been involved in many a debate.

I want clarity on what the new Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government will do for Cork and for the proposal to merge the local authorities or whether the population of the city will increase. This issue has been going around since the 1960s and has not been dealt with by Government, whether Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael over the past few decades.It is a big issue for the development of Cork county and city. Major national development plans are being proposed that will see increases in population throughout the country. It is important that Cork will have a focus and ensuring this will depend on local government structures and how we drive our local economy. Cork as an entity is one eighth of the area of Ireland. There are over 500,000 people attached to it, if not more. It has potential to grow rapidly due to access to fresh water and sewage systems, which already are in place. The question of how the city and the county are progressed is key to economic development and to the development of the west and rural areas. This aspect also needs to be considered. The northern and western parts of our county are focused on tourism and agriculture and there must be a combined strategy to ensure that everything comes together.

We have seen two reports. One, issued in September 2015, proposed that there should be one local authority. A counter report issued in March 2017 stated the city needs to incorporate a major part of the county itself. What we need now is clarity. We need a roadmap for the future and to have those issues aired. The consultants have had their say. The people in the universities have had their say. The politicians and the executives have had their say. Everyone bar the people has had their say on this very important issue. We need clarity from the Minister of State as to what he and his Department propose to do.

A local election is looming in 2019. Public representatives need to know what the Minister of State proposes in respect of that local election. They need to know whether there will be new boundaries or no change to the boundaries. Will a boundary commission be set up just for Cork or for the entire country? This is a very complex issue that must be dealt with in a very sympathetic way. Feelings are running high in this part of the world. The Minister of State knows better than anyone how feelings can run high regarding boundaries. When there was a proposal for Waterford to expand into Kilkenny he was vocal in opposing it. He should now bring his experience to bear on what is happening in Cork. He is the Minister of State in charge and he should have the ability to drive a fair and equal partnership in order that everything that can work to some degree in tandem in Cork.