Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

No, one of the many. I thank the Acting Chair for seeking clarification. The Tánaiste and I share many things. We are both anxious that the national development plan, Ireland 2040, focus on generating growth beyond the M50. I know that Senator Kevin Humphreys is focused on Dublin, while the Minister of State is focused on his area, but for those of us in the south, in the context of amendment No. 42 and having targets to achieve every six years, if we cannot put tangible targets on paper to be achieved, we will be going nowhere. We are looking to grow the population of Cork from 120,000 to almost 360,000. That will require a buy-in by private investors, the local authorities and the State. One of the ways by which we can achieve that target is through the delivery of a six year plan.

The other point I make is that I now believe we need to have a directly-elected mayor for the city of Cork. We are growing the city of Cork through the amalgamation of areas, thus expanding the city boundaries. We are creating clear, new lines to allow a city of scale to be created.What that now requires is a directly-elected mayor in tandem with what is being offered under Project Ireland 2040. What Project Ireland 2040 is giving us is a plan, a roadmap to develop parts of the city that are now used for warehousing, industry and the Port of Cork. What the plan will do in tandem with the directly-elected mayor will be to create a new type of Cork, one that can be competitive on the international and world stage. We are fortunate that we have industries of scale in the city and on the periphery but through the new local government structure and the really exciting plan for the city, we are on the cusp of continuing to grow, develop and expand. I believe that if we have a six-year plan for the city in tandem with what we are trying to achieve under the national planning framework, Ireland 2040, then we need to have a directly-elected mayor. I will conclude on this point. I know it is not necessarily part of the plan but it is analogous to it. We need to drive the development of the airport in Cork. It is important. I am bordering on straining----