Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the response and I accept wholeheartedly the Minister's genuine will to get this done. When the new Government was formed in December, the Taoiseach appointed Deputy Donohoe to a new role in public expenditure and delivery on national development plan projects. This is a clear recognition that while we are announcing things and putting money towards things, for some reason some projects are simply not being delivered. Clonmel Garda station is a prime example of this and is a project we announced eight years ago. We have had five Ministers in the meantime and nothing has been done on the grounds of Kickham Barracks to actually build a Garda station. It is telling that there are now discussions going on between the Minister, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform as to how we can get this project moving. The discussions have to be quick. People cannot wait any longer on promises of a station being built. We need to find out whether it would be worth it, cost-wise, to take it out of that project and do it regardless. I acknowledge that cost obviously is important but regardless of that, the project simply has to be done. How long more are we going to leave the people of Clonmel and Tipperary without a functioning Garda station? I ask that the decision be made quickly and I am happy to work with the Minister.