Ringsend development planning
Senator Andrews again referred to the Bondi attack, then raised the lack of planning and infrastructure around the Glass Bottle site development in Ringsend and Irishtown.
I would also like to acknowledge the horror of the attacks on Bondi. Extremism, wherever it comes from, is a concern. On a positive note, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, said he did not see any rise in antisemitism here in Ireland. That is something of which we should be aware and conscious. It is something to note when the Minister says that.
On another note, there is a complete lack of planning in Ringsend and Irishtown associated with the Glass Bottle site development. Residents will start moving into the development in early and mid-2026. There are no new infrastructural or traffic patterns. There is one road in and out of the development, the Sean Moore Road. The road is an absolute mess and is hazardous to residents during busy hours, which are now almost the entire day. At one stage, they were morning and evening but now the traffic seems to be a hazard all day long. There are no new sports facilities or recreational amenities in the area. There are no new community spaces in place. There are no new pitches or floodlighting of the parks. Significantly, there is no Luas extension in sight despite it being promised years ago.
Without proper investment, public transport to and from Ringsend will be overwhelmed by the thousands of new residents in the Glass Bottle site. The Luas extension keeps getting pushed further and further out, which is hugely disappointing to the local community. I heard one Government Deputy state recently that the Luas should be extended to Poolbeg, even though it was his party and Government that dropped the proposal in the first place. What residents in Ringsend and Irishtown need are real results from the Government, not soundbites and inaction.