Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One of the most important community and tourism amenities in the Inishowen Peninsula, Swan Park, was destroyed by the floods last August. The riverside park has been closed for six months. I have raised the issue time and again in this Chamber. I have written and spoken to Ministers, but as of today, there is no sign of Government funding. I do not accept that the closure of a park which is a key and critical community and tourism amenity for six months would be allowed to happen elsewhere in the State.Donegal County Council has done an extensive survey of the damage. As I said, the entire walk, including bridges, walls and gardens, has been destroyed. The cost is €2.3 million, a huge amount of money. Neither Donegal County Council nor Inishowen development partnership could shoulder that cost on its own. In recent days there was a packed meeting in Buncrana with a large turnout of local people from all spectrums of the town and local community, including anglers, sport and activity providers, local business, community historical societies and so on.

I again ask the Leader to raise the matter with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, who oversees local authorities. Donegal County Council owns Swan Park on behalf of the people. I also ask him to raise the matter with the Minister, Deputy Michael Ring, who has responsibility for community and rural affairs, which touches on funding for these types of projects. I also ask him to raise the matter with the Chief Whip, the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh. I have asked them to meet a cross-party delegation from the Inishowen municipal district, something which was requested by a cross-party group of councillors. It is now urgent that they and their Department officials meet the cross-party group and senior management from Donegal County Council to work out a plan to send a clear message to our community that our beloved park will be restored.

One has to see the park to appreciate how beautiful it is, and how integral it is to our community and the visitors who come to Inishowen. We need to reopen it and send a message that is going to happen. I again ask that is done.