Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The first phase of the redevelopment of Kickham Barracks in Clonmel is under way, in conjunction with the building of a sports hub just outside the town. This involves funding received in the context of the urban regeneration development fund and allocated by the then Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government several years ago. It is an exciting and significant project for Clonmel.

Last year, however, a second phase application was submitted by the county council, involving an ambitious proposal for a further €50 million development of Kickham Barracks and the rejuvenation of the town centre in Clonmel. The main thrust of the application was to move the premises of what was previously the Limerick Institute of Technology, LIT, and which is now part of the Technological University of the Shannon, TUS, from outside the town into Kickham Barracks and to transform that old Army facility into an educational centre.It was to a be a real hub for the town, creating a new atmosphere and new town centre, essentially. Unfortunately, we heard that the application was unsuccessful before Christmas. A new application will be submitted when the call goes out from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, probably next month.

When the application was unsuccessful, many Opposition politicians, local politicians in Clonmel and national politicians were critical of the decision and gave up all hope. Some even criticised the council itself for the application that was submitted, saying it was being too ambitious. That is an outrageous accusation, in my view. We can never be too ambitious for Clonmel and in respect of what we can do for the region. On the back of that disappointment, in fairness to the Government, the Taoiseach has been down to visit Clonmel. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has been in contact constantly about what needs to be done. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has also visited the town, seeking to establish what his Department can do. The Minister of State, Deputy Burke and the Minister for Defence have also both visited the area. They have all visited. None of the people who criticised the project were there when they visited.

The reason I say that is because, at the time the application was made, one of the requests from the Minister and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage was that the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science would provide more funding because the project was for an educational complex. It requested that the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science put up some money to justify the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage supporting the rest of it. I ask that we get a decision from the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Perhaps the Senator, in her capacity as Deputy Leader, could write to the Minister in support the application. I know the Minister of State has submitted a similar application for a project in Mullingar.

If we can get funding from the office of the Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, it will reduce the amount of funding we need from the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and increase the possibility of the application being successful. The Minister has around €200 million left to use from the urban regeneration and development fund. There will be many applications being submitted looking for support. If we can reduce the cost, we have a better chance of getting the funding, but we need the support from the Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's Department. He has been very positive about it. He was very positive when he visited Clonmel. It is a key decision if we are going to be successful in the application for funding and the redevelopment of Clonmel.