Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the Leader and all Members of the House will join me in expressing solidarity with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, over the disgraceful scenes outside his home last week. There are plenty of places where people can protest about any aspect of Government policy or any other issue, but doing so outside an individual's home is not appropriate. I hope the House will join me in expressing solidarity with the Minister and with any figure who experiences such horrific acts.

The announcement at the weekend by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, on behalf of the Government of €30 million investment in community centres is welcome. Two of them are in County Wexford. One is at Ballymitty, but the one I will speak about is the planned community centre at Riverchapel. It is an investment by the Government of almost €1.8 million in the community centre. Courtown-Riverchapel is now the fifth-largest urban settlement in County Wexford. It is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. When I was growing up it was simply a seaside village of 300 or 400 people. More than 3,000 people now reside there, but unfortunately the community infrastructure has not kept pace with that growth. A large team of local volunteers, led by Craig Lang, came together to develop this project. I also pay tribute to Wexford Local Development and Wexford County Council for supporting it. An investment of €1.8 million in a new community centre is extremely welcome. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is committed and she understands the importance of investing in community infrastructure, as does the rest of the Government. It will make a transformational difference to the community that really appreciates the funding of the new centre.