James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I echo what Senator Ray Butler spoke about, namely, rates, and the fact that business is only recovering now from those hard years of recession. Having survived that, to be faced now with what looks to be an increase in rates is very worrying for people, especially in towns such as Balbriggan and Rush which have struggled through the recession but are coming out of it.

The reason I rise here today is to commend Fingal County Council on good news. The council yesterday voted to allow the CEO of the council, Paul Reid, to enter into negotiations with the European Investment Bank to seek up to €70 million, which could be matched by Government funds. I will strongly support that and I will lobby the Government to make sure that happens.I congratulate the council because I believe it is the first mover on this issue. The European Investment Bank exists to offer affordable loans to allow infrastructure to be developed. In an area such as Fingal, the obvious part of Dublin that will allow for the expansion of the population and badly needed housing, it seems opportune to invest in advance in the infrastructure people need. For once in our history we will have the infrastructure in place before the housing is built and families arrive. This includes important infrastructure such as the greenway, which is a no-brainer in terms of the jobs created and tourism generated, an issue about which I have spoken in the House before. I refer also to connectivity, including roads, particularly near Dublin Airport where planning permission was recently refused for five tower blocks for offices only on the grounds that there was inferior and insufficient road connectivity. The lands have been zoned. We need to develop these things.

There is a possibility to be a leader in other areas. A former major waste disposal area for Dublin city, Balleally dump, had a huge amount of work done on it. It now has the potential to be a wonderful community park, with fabulous views from the top of the man-made mountain. There are many other areas in which there could be investment to improve the lives and well-being of the locals. Swimming pools, for example, could be constructed. Fingal, Swords and Balbriggan should seriously consider developing swimming pools for their populations.

I really believe it is important to acknowledge this opportunity and that we acknowledge Fingal County Council for its forward thinking. I wish it well in its negotiations with the European Investment Bank and, subsequently, the Government. I hope there will be a successful outcome some time in December and that we will be able to look forward to investing in projects and infrastructure, including parks, for our ever-increasing population and the youngest in the country. In other parts of Europe the European Investment Bank has also invested in hospitals.