Tycor fire recovery support
Deputy Cullinane describes the devastation caused by the Tycor fire in Waterford and asks for help for affected businesses and community groups. The Taoiseach acknowledges the scale of the damage and says Ministers and officials are engaging on support measures, including possible funding.
The horrendous fire in Tycor in Waterford city was obviously devastating for local residents, but most especially for the social enterprises, small businesses, service providers, a school of music, and a company that provided costumes for theatre. Much was lost. I met many of them yesterday. I know that the Minister was in, but I also met them afterwards. They have a number of asks. The first is that everything possible be done to get them back on their feet and get those businesses up and running again. I spoke to the CEO of Waterford City and County Council this morning and he said that what was needed was a fund that should be administered by the local authority. Money has to be put on the table. That could enable supports to be given to those organisations quickly.
They also need premises. There was a real sense of community among those people. They have been working together for years with a mix of social enterprises and service providers. Can Enterprise Ireland and the IDA look at sites that would be appropriate?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue, and I appreciate his genuine commitment to this. I saw him there yesterday and I know the Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Cummins, and all the public representatives in Waterford are obviously shocked at the impact of this fire, which has been terrible. The dislocation of so many groups and people has equally been very profound. It is very serious.
The CEO was in touch with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, in terms of the fund idea. The Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, was down yesterday. The Minister, Deputy Browne, has also been there. We are working through a humanitarian approach. We are looking to pull that proposal together with a view to seeing if we can progress it as an option. There are also the questions of alternative premises for quite a number of the organisations involved and of working with State agencies. There are a lot of people working there but there are also disability services. It is quite shocking and devastating what has happened to the people. Every effort will be made to try to help those in distress at the moment.