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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

Sienna Valley road funding

Summary

Deputy Fitzpatrick said housing at Sienna Valley in Drogheda was blocked because the Department would not co-fund the road through the development. The Taoiseach said he would check with the Housing Minister, noted possible local infrastructure funding, and congratulated Fitzpatrick on being elected Louth GAA chairman.

Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

We are almost there. I call Deputy Fitzpatrick.

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Two weeks ago, I raised the issue of a proposed housing development in Sienna Valley in Drogheda with full planning permission for 4,000 homes, zoning for several thousand more and the DART link scheduled for 2022. Not a single house has been built because the Department is refusing to jointly fund the northern cross route road which runs through the housing development. For the past two weeks, on the advice of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I have been trying to raise the matter as a Topical Issue. There is a housing crisis and we have a solution here. This is a no-brainer. Thousands of families will get an opportunity to own their own homes, not only in Louth but also in the Taoiseach's constituency in Dublin. Hundreds of thousands of euro can be gained through levies. I invite the Taoiseach along with the Fine Gael Deputies and councillors to come to Drogheda to visit this site and see it at first hand. I ask the Taoiseach to ensure that the Department provides its half of the funding for the development.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Taoiseach might consider bringing the entire Cabinet in here and then they could all answer all the questions.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I ask them to come, but they do not show up all the time. I imagine they are busy in the Seanad and other places.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Taoiseach should not get me wrong; I am only being facetious.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I am being serious there. Some attend better than others, but I have kept a record.

I will check up on the matter Deputy Fitzpatrick raised with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. Funding is available through the local infrastructure housing activation fund and I do not know why it has not been granted in that case.

I also want to extend my congratulations to the Deputy, who was elected as chairman of the Louth GAA county board yesterday.

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