Ray Butler (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to offer my sympathies to the families of Jack Kenneally and Shay Moloney, who were drowned in a disused quarry on the outskirts of Ennis. I spoke about this issue many months ago given many quarry owners went bust during the recession and just walked away. In my constituency, there are several quarries like this and there are others all over the country. The bonds that quarries paid were just a fraction of what it took to fix those quarries and get them back into some shape or form, whereas most of the quarry owners just went bust and walked away. At Longwood, Rathmolyon, there is a quarry where young kids from the area swim. People were dumping their cars into the quarry and when anyone came around the corner and saw it, it was like landing on the moon. It is a massive, open, man-made lake. These quarries are the legacy we have left for future generations. They are all over the country and it is a crying shame.

I am sorry to say this is not the last tragedy we will have. We need strong legislation when it comes to quarry owners and the opening of new quarries because the legislation in place is not sufficient. I call on the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to come to the House to discuss new legislation for quarries as we move forward.