I raise an important issue in my constituency, most particularly in Dublin 8, where I live. For many centuries, there has been a market in Newmarket. There is also the Iveagh Markets. There were markets all over this city but, sadly, we have seen the closure of many of them throughout this city. The Iveagh Markets have been closed for some time and Newmarket has become a place that would not inspire people to go and visit it because it is a bit soulless. There was a market there a number of years ago that brought the community together. This is an urban area. There are people who have lived there for decades and people who have moved in. What was really uniting about everything was that this market brought people together. It was an indoor market. There were different varieties of markets that happened on weekends. There was a fruit market and a vegetable market, a flea market, and a permanent space where you could go and have a coffee with your neighbours, and it was immensely important to our neighbourhood. Unfortunately, people love building in Dublin 8. They love building hotels, apartments and tourist attractions because the area is very attractive to tourists with all the historic parts we have. However, we live there and we want to have an area that is more than just a tourist attraction. When planning permission was put in for a new building that would go there, part of that planning permission was that a market space needed to be made available there. That has been subject to observations and objections over the last number of years as the place lies idle. I have been contacted by so many people about this issue for almost two years, including when I was campaigning before the different elections, and people are really angry. That place is vacant. There is nothing in there. It is completely soulless and there are markets that want to happen in that area. There is an organised outdoor market at the moment. It happens in the summer to autumn time. It was really lovely. People came back and said it was great to have the market back there again. It is outdoor, however, and we all know what that means. Yesterday was boiling hot, today it is lashing rain and I heard it has been snowing in Tallaght. You could not have a market that would be reliable outside. We need indoor markets. I have been contacted by somebody who would love to run the market there. They have been told that it would cost €66,000 per annum. That is not a like for like. It is not a culture- and community-based sum being charged. It is a serious amount of money. I would love to know what markets are so successful that they can pay that much rent. People are angry and disappointed and it is wearing the community down. We have this view now that this lovely opportunity has just been taken away from us. What can be done when things are part of planning permission and are granted on the basis of planning permission and then they are being priced out of it? The local community and markets are not able to apply for this. They are being priced out for a reason. The people who own that building clearly do not want to have a market in there. What can be done by the Department to ensure this does not happen again? We have seen this in Dublin 8 with other areas. Dublin 8 suffers in the context of planning permission. I do not know if the Minister of State has been to my community but there is very little green space, so often access to things like green spaces is cut off when student accommodation or co-living is built. It is part of the planning permission that the developer should have it open to it but it applies for retention afterwards. It is not good enough and it is happening time and again in Dublin 8.

Sentiment score: 0.06

I thank the Minister of State for that answer but that is not what I was talking about. However, I am glad he has given me that answer because I can go back and let the people know what they already know about the Iveagh Markets. I was asking about the market on Newmarket. Newmarket is an historic part in the Liberties that is not the Iveagh Markets. I am delighted with this answer because I can go back to them but they and I already know this answer. What I am asking the Minister of State about is the market that does not exist any more on Newmarket because planning came in and a big fancy building was built. They have built lots of fancy buildings in Newmarket but part of the planning permission was that a market needed to go in there. The problem is that the developer is pricing any market stall-holder or market organisation out so that they will not be able to do it and it keeps putting in for permission for change of use. This is difficult for the Minister of State because he has been given a different answer but I really need to know what can be done when planning permission has been put in and we have been told as a community that a market will go in there and then it has not because it is priced out. Second, the cultural aspect of our city has to be about the residents who live in the city 365 days a year. It has to be about what makes it wonderful to live in the city. I am very proud of living in the city and of being a TD for Dublin South-Central but I do not represent tourists. I represent the people who live in my neighbourhood. If the cultural and community activities are only for people who come for short visits, that is not good enough. What can be done to prevent that happening but also, more importantly, what can be done in this situation in Newmarket where this market is being priced out and is going to disappear? How can I help the community to prevent this from happening and how can the Government put in place legislation that disallows this sort of thing happening?

Sentiment score: 0.13