Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I absolutely support Senator Fitzpatrick’s point. I also support Senator Ardagh's comments highlighting the work of Drimnagh For All and Ballyfermot For All, of which we are both part, and the extraordinary coming together of the community to celebrate the diversity and inclusion and the spirit of welcome in the community. That is right and fantastic.

Speaking about the likes of Drimnagh, of all the community organisations and representatives within that community, Dynamic Drimnagh is coming together. It has the most amazing strategic plans. It highlights all of the incredible work that is done on the ground in Drimnagh and it is fantastic. Hence, Drimnagh For All was easy to be birthed because there was already amazing work on the ground welcoming, including and ensuring an inclusive community there. However, funding these organisations and funding infrastructure for the community of Drimnagh are very low on the list. For instance, in the past couple of years, one developer has put up two developments that have netted Dublin City Council more than €11 million, yet none of that is being spent in Drimnagh. In the past week, the council has announced beautiful tea rooms that will happen in Merrion Square and in other areas of the city, which will be funded by the development levies that are coming in from the likes of Drimnagh, which is seeing minimal investment.

I agree and I understand this is the province of councillors and local authorities. However, I would ask that we have some level of oversight or interaction with the Minister. I wrote to both the Minister and Minister of State in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to engage with me to find out whether we put in imposed criteria on local authorities. If there is a community that is underfunded for such a long time, there will naturally be dissatisfaction and they naturally will feel they are left out. It is important we address that and that there is equity. Where money is collected, a ring-fenced amount of that should be spent in that community for its infrastructure and care.