At a meeting of Cork County Council's west Cork municipal district last Monday, the people of the Beara Peninsula were dealt a severe blow with the announcement by the council that the very popular Dursey Island cable car will be suspended from use for seven months from 1 April this year until November 2022. The council has carried out a structural review of the cable. It is deemed that the towers are unsafe at present due to adverse weather damage, including that caused by a recent storm.

This is a major blow to locals and to tourism potential in the Beara area. This, coupled with a separate issue where An Taisce and BirdWatch Ireland are forcing a judicial review of planning permission given recently for a €10 million community development in Dursey, is leaving locals who have communicated with me in shock. I have talked to local residents during the week and they are confident that a local, temporary solution to the cable car closure may be possible if the Minister with responsibility for the islands and senior council officials work with the local community. This solution, if worked on, could save tourism and continue to bring locals and tens of thousands of others to this spectacular tourist attraction. Will the Tánaiste communicate to the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the local authority that they should urgently come together to provide necessary funding co-operation to supply a temporary solution?

I will certainly bring this matter to the attention of the Minister. I know the cable car and for it to be down for seven months would be pretty serious, especially during the tourist season. I do not know the details, but I will certainly let the Minister know that the Deputy has raised the issue.