Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are more than half a million homes and businesses around the country, not just in rural Ireland but also in north County Dublin, that are without high speed broadband. I mentioned in the House before that not having high speed broadband is detrimental to small businesses in particular. In October last, we learned of documented and undocumented meetings by the former Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment with certain bidders in the broadband tender process. These meetings took place in Ireland and New York. I mentioned in the House the old maxim that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. That applies not only to court cases but also to procurement law. We know that this matter was investigated by an independent auditor, Mr. Peter Smith. I ask the Deputy Leader whether the Government is happy with this report. Is the report complete? Is the tender process now complete? Is the Government sure the process is watertight and will not be susceptible to judicial review? Is it the end of the road now for the project? Will we see the roll-out of broadband for these half a million homes and businesses around the country? That really is the ultimate issue. Since 2012, these people have been promised high speed broadband and it has not been delivered. I want to know the current status of the broadband project.

The second issue I raise relates to a picture that appeared in The Irish Timesat the beginning of the week. It showed mothers queuing with their children outside the Capuchin day centre. We learned there are 600 mothers registered with the Capuchin day centre to receive nappies and formula milk. That is not acceptable in this day and age. If there is such a need and children are going to starve or go without nappies, it would be right for the Government to step in. The Capuchin day centre should not be going to these lengths. The State needs to provide for vulnerable people like this. We understand that people are coming from as far away as emergency accommodation centres in Dundalk and Drogheda to receive nappies and formula milk. It is not acceptable in a prosperous country where we say we have full employment and the economy is meant to be thriving that mothers are queuing for nappies and formula. It beggars belief.

The third issue I raise relates to the proposal for a super depot in Marrowbone Lane in the Liberties. The Liberties, as we know, is a very historical part of Dublin and it has, in recent times, been used as a dumping ground by the council for housing and injection centres. Now we are to have a super depot on Marrowbone Lane in the heart of the neighbourhood. There is already a depot for salting the roads in the area which causes inconvenience to locals. Increasing the size of the depot to a super depot will have a significant impact.

There is a massive scarcity of green space in the Liberties. I mentioned before that Kevins hurling and camogie club, which is the only hurling club in that part of the city, does not have a full-size pitch to play on, which means the club can never have home games. This is a massively growing club and any other GAA club in the country would not be able to fathom not having a pitch to play its games on.

There was also the recent closure of an allotment in Weaver Park. We need to address the scarcity of green space in the area. We cannot treat it as a dumping ground. Dublin City Council is trying to sneak in this super depot, which is not right. I ask that the Government look into this matter.