Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, to the House on this Thursday morning.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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It is great to have the Minister of State present to discuss Garrylucas and the world-class outdoor water-based activity centre that was proposed in 2021. The Minister’s announcement that day that she was going to put funding aside for as many as 19 or 20 such activity centres was a significant development. I will speak to the one proposed for Garrylucas. The idea that there would be significant investment in Garrettstown was welcome. The area is a world-renowned location and has everything going for it. Kinsale is 4 miles or 5 miles away and the area is used 12 months of the year. We saw the proposal to put a world-class outdoor water-based activity centre there as a fantastic moment and a move in the right direction.

Unfortunately, the proposal went astray and things went wrong for us. I am trying to work out exactly what happened. Of all the activity centres, only two did not proceed – one in Clare and the other in west Cork. There has been no explanation for the development at Garrylucas in Cork South-West not going ahead. There were only to be two centres in County Cork, one of them being in Youghal, and you could argue that Youghal is nearly in Waterford. Now, there will be none in the county on the so-called Wild Atlantic Way.

I am disturbed by how this proposal has not progressed. Geographically, it needs to move forward. The location was perfect and it was a great initiative that thought outside the box. I have four kids and we go to the beach often. It is a wonderful amenity, so we need to build the centre and ensure it is accessible. By “accessible”, I mean there need to be changing areas and toilets. This is basic stuff. The Minister of State is from a similar part of the world and knows the advantage of having a beach. Having amenities like toilets beside it is especially important.

I do not understand what happened to this major proposal, which was going to be a game-changer for us. I spoke to people in Kinsale. The tourism industry there was delighted, given the centre’s 12-months-per-year element. It would have made their industry more viable and more sustainable, as increasing the number of people using natural amenities like our beaches increases our tourism potential.

This was a missed opportunity. We need to know what went wrong and where it failed, and we need to know how we can get it back on the rails again and move it forward. The replies I have received make no comment of why the proposal was shelved. The one in Clare was shelved because of a planning issue, but according to the Department, we have no idea as to why the one at Garrylucas was shelved. The Minister of State might be able to shed light on the issue. The majority of the centres have progressed. The one in Clare has not because of a planning condition that the council could not solve. We need to know what happened to the centre at Garrylucas and what we can do to ensure we can get it back on the agenda.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for his welcome this morning.

I thank Senator Lombard for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. As the Senator has said, the second platform for growth scheme was launched by Fáilte Ireland in January 2020. The call was directed at local authorities. It was aimed to develop facilities at waterside locations, such as Garrylucas.

In April 2021, €19 million worth of investment was announced for this platform to allow the development of world-class centres at locations across the country where water-based activities would be a key visitor attraction. Senator Lombard has outlined the rationale and the attraction of that in relation to Garrylucas, an area that I know, having spent many summers in Ballinspittle and Garrettstown.

I understand that Cork County Council has opted not to proceed with the facility at Garrylucas. This is as a result of potential issues and concerns around the provision of a stand-alone wastewater treatment system in a sensitive site adjacent to a blue flag beach. I am informed that concerns were also raised by Irish Water in respect of taking in charge any specific wastewater infrastructure at this location.

The project at Claycastle, Youghal, is proceeding through Cork County Council. It is working to progress a planning application. In this regard, I am informed that a foreshore licence has been lodged with the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority. It is hoped to progress this project by the end of this year.

However, Senator Lombard's primary focus is on Garrylucas. It is a matter for Cork County Council. The decision not to proceed with the facility is primarily as I set out but I am more than happy to engage with the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, on the Senator's behalf around this if the Senator has information that is different from what is here.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is unbelievable to think that an Irish Water issue, a lack of finding an ability to sort out the sewage treatment in that location, is the issue that obliges us to shelve this project. We have huge issues with all our beaches because we have no toilets there. How a local authority of the size and nature of Cork County Council cannot sort out its own wastewater treatment issues regarding this is beyond belief. When one is getting a €19 million project to do huge developments on all these beaches, one makes the proposal, gets the grant and then realises one cannot build it, it is chaotic.

I would be really disappointed - I take the Minister of State's word - that why it has failed is because Cork County Council is lacking in solving the wastewater treatment issue. There are mechanisms, means and other ways around this. If Irish Water does not take it in charge, surely an entity such as Cork County Council can take it up and run with it.

The people of Ballinspittle, the people of Courceys parish, deserve better than this. We have issues within Ballinspittle village where a wastewater treatment problem is a problem. This entire issue of lack of wastewater treatment plant seems to be dogging that part of the world

I will directly go back to the county manager about this issue. I cannot understand how we cannot find a solution. It is nonsensical that a local authority cannot solve its own issues regarding wastewater treatment. It is unbelievable.

I note the frustration of the people in the Courceys parish, Ballinspittle and in Garrylucas, Garrettstown. These people want to make sure this amenity can be enhanced, can go forward and can be developed. The entire region wants it to go forward and to develop and to have Cork County Council now become the stumbling block is outrageous.

I will directly talk to the CEO of Cork County Council about this. We cannot have money coming from national government not being drawn down because we cannot get our house in order. That is effectively what is happening here.

We are on about no amenity of this nature being put on the Wild Atlantic Way in Cork county. We have the longest coastline in Ireland and we have no amenity of this nature put on the Wild Atlantic Way. It does not make sense.

My frustration is beyond belief. I will directly talk to the CEO. I ask the Minister of State to correspond directly with the CEO as well to see whether a solution can be found here. If we cannot put our heads together and solve this, God help us.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I share the Senator's frustration. I am familiar with these projects. I have seen one just beside me, albeit in County Sligo, and one in Mayo. They have been complex to deliver.

If the Senator wants to engage with the CEO of Cork County Council, as I said, the two reasons that I have been given here are in relation to a stand-alone wastewater treatment system and Irish Water's concerns about taking in charge any specific wastewater infrastructure. Therefore, there are two issues but they both go back to the local authority.

The local authority made the application in the first place. I presume, in making the application, it knows the area better. The Department funded the application. The Department still wants to invest in these centres.

Certainly, the Senator may come back to me. As I said, I know the area. It would be a great addition to the area and I would be happy to work with it. I am happy to give the Senator this paragraph that he will be able to use in his discussions with the CEO. If there is nothing on the Wild Atlantic Way in Cork, they can always come to Mayo.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the House that Senator Fitzpatrick has withdrawn her Commencement matter and, therefore, it will not be taken now. As Senator Malcolm Byrne is delayed, I ask the Acting Leader to propose the suspension of the House until 9.55 a.m. I apologise to the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, for the inconvenience.