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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Green Apple development near Galway

Summary

Senator Healy Eames welcomes the environmentally focused Apple development near Athenry and Oranmore after earlier concerns about the site’s health and environmental effects.

On Saturday afternoon I received a call from IDA Ireland to say it had a major job announcement for yesterday morning. My first question was whether it would include chimney stacks or would it be lean and green. I asked this because there had been a previous development that did not fly owing to concerns about the health and environmental impacts. I was delighted to hear yesterday's announcement. The jobs will be in Derrydonnell, which is approximately three miles from Oranmore and two miles from Athenry. The 500 acre site between the two towns is currently in the hands of Coillte. I welcome this considerable development which will provide opportunities for our young people into the future and, in the interim, in construction. I urge Apple and Arup, the building consultancy, to answer the public's questions quickly. Last night, I was at the public briefing and there was concern that there was no question and answer session. On the whole, it is very good news.

I invite my colleagues to a briefing I will have tomorrow in the AV room entitled Up for School. Up for School is a global education campaign with the goal of getting 58 million primary school children who are not at school into school. Our goal is to get 2 million signatures, which we will present to world leaders at the UN Special Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2015. This was a millennium goal and it has not yet been achieved because of war, violence and discrimination against girl children.

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Paddy Burke An Cathaoirleach Fine Gael

Does the Senator have a question for the Acting Leader?

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