Vincent P Martin (Green Party)

It has been over a year since the stand-off over the lands at Castletown. We have had different Ministers involved and various approaches and numerous diplomatic initiatives have been taken. Unfortunately, none has worked to date. It is almost like the more things change, the more things remain the same. Going down the road of blaming people and attributing fault will not resolve this issue. It is deeply frustrating when we are told we allegedly have a willing purchaser and a willing seller who is happy to sell the lands at market rate and yet nothing has happened. Members can appreciate and understand the community are losing faith in that process. By all means, let the talks continue but any objective person would have to say that initiative taken in respect of this matter has failed to deliver. We need to think outside the box and we cannot put all our eggs in one basket. Can we put a timeframe on these talks? It is like asking how long is a piece of string. What is happening is just not good enough, but it should not be the only show in town.

At the outset of this dispute, I suggested that a compulsory purchase order, CPO, should be seriously considered to acquire the lands. I am not the only person who said that; others said it too. This is not revolutionary thinking. Local authorities and the Office of Public Works are risk adverse when it comes to CPOs but employing a CPO is the long-term solution. We would have been one year down the road of acquiring those lands if we had commenced that process at the time when the problem first emerged. It is never too late. There are other options, such as a long-term lease, but the permanent, long-term, sustainable solution is for the lands to be acquired. Until that happens, I do not believe we will have a tangible, meaningful result. I wish the talks well, but they are not achieving anything at present. The strength and resilience of the people on the front line is only getting stronger.

Naas Serpents Basketball Club recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. The Minister for sport, Deputy Catherine Martin, was in attendance. It was fantastic to recognise the contribution the club has made to mental wellness, physical well-being and community camaraderie. In 1982, Joe Clancy pioneered schools basketball. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength. The club has undergone exponential growth, particularly in the context of underage basketball locally. There are many clubs playing at all levels. I thank many people, but especially Kill resident, Gerry Wren, who passed away earlier this year. Gerry, his wife, Barbara, and their family made a huge contribution locally, right through from the underage system. I also thank the club chair, Sharon Langan, Colm Kenny, Suzanne Whelan and many more past and present. They make an incredible contribution and epitomise community volunteerism. Such a contribution is very much appreciated. We must always recognise and celebrate it.