Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Discussions between the Departments are very important but the community must be involved. The community feels this has involved only a paper and email trail whereas what is needed is a meeting on Sherkin Island. They have to see it and smell it to understand what is really happening. To think that one could be in Dublin in the time it takes to collect one's child is an unbelievable scenario. Nowhere else in the State does that happen. There was a similar issue with the secondary schools 20 years ago and the Department came down at the time to put a service in place which has worked very well ever since. That connection and communication is required again. I implore the Minister of State to ensure a meeting takes place on Sherkin. We need to get all those people down to thrash out what is required.