I support the amendment. It is a commonsense amendment that requires transparency, openness and discussion. There is really important work to be done regarding infrastructure. We really need to get it right now. The Government is bringing forward a plan, which we support, but it is not going far enough. I will give a couple of examples. The point was made by a number of speakers about transparency and what projects go ahead in what areas. I represent Cork North-Central. For over 25 years, there has been talk about a northern ring road. The southside of the city has a massive ring road, all the way from Ballincollig, into the tunnel, and out to Dunkettle. We have nothing on the northside. The question that people ask me about transparency and honesty is who made the decision to pull the northern ring road. Why was it made? Transparency is so important because this was part of a plan 20 years ago, and now it is not, and the Government has allocated a couple of hundred thousand euro to a project. People might say, "You are being parochial about the northern ring road, Tommy," but the northern ring road is key for the city, because if there is a crash in the tunnel or on the south ring road, there is chaos in Cork. It is vital infrastructure. How do I find out where that vital infrastructure is? How do I get answers? How do we debate it? Who picks the projects? Are they picked on merit or are they picked because of who is in power or who the Minister or Taoiseach is? These are vital questions. That is why if we come in here and we have a debate, people can get answers and we can go back to our constituencies.

Sentiment score: 0.11

We have the same issue with northern distributor road. We have an elective hospital that was promised 20 years ago. It is vital that these pieces of infrastructure are delivered not alone for northside of Cork city but for Munster. Someone made a point about delivering infrastructure quickly. That is impossible. It will never happen on this island, especially in the Twenty-six Counties, but we could aim to deliver it in a reasonable amount of time. I represent people and we cannot get more jobs into the northside of Cork city. We cannot get more investment in. Why? It is because we do not have the infrastructure to support the business. I want to make one last point. We want to see a college campus on the northside of the city. Education is the key to success for individuals and the country. Why has the northside never got funding? Why has there never been a college campus on the northside of Cork city? I cannot get answers. This amendment will allow people to come into this House to discuss issues openly and transparently. This is not to kick the Government. This is to work with the Government and to say that we need fairness and transparency.

Sentiment score: 0.10