I wish to raise the delay in the commencement of the one-stop shop in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, which was approved by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government on 28 May 1999. Sligo County Council made a good submission to the Department.
I was delighted with the Minister's announcement of this project last year. I had pursued the project with him for some time and I was particularly pleased that he sanctioned it. The provision of a one-stop shop in Tubbercurry will be of great benefit not only to the town but also to the region of south Sligo which I represent. The area is sparsely populated. Within a seven mile radius of the town there is a population of 14,000 people, of whom 1,800 reside in Tubbercurry.
The local authority services to be provided include a branch library, which will be one of the most modern in the country, and a planning office to which people will be able to apply for planning permissions. At present, there are between 300 and 400 applications for planning permission in the Tubbercurry area as a result of rural renewal. There will be a housing loans service. It will also be possible to come to the one-stop shop in Tubbercurry from any town in the surrounding area to tax one's car. Other services to be located there will include the Revenue Commissioners, general purposes administration, grants, licences, special projects offices, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, the National Social Services Board, the North Western Health Board which will have two floors in the building, FÁS, Sligo County Enterprise Board, Leader and North West Tourism. Members will be aware that the area is renowned for its tourism industry.
This amounts to a mini decentralisation of local government and Departments. A total of 13 months have elapsed since the project was approved by the Minister. A design team has been in place for some time. What is causing the delay with the project? Why is it not progressing? Construction was due to have started in the first half of this year.
Thirteen county councils have been approved by the Department for one-stop shops and I am delighted that Sligo County Council and the Minister chose Tubbercurry. I am anxious that this project should proceed as soon as possible. This year at least four more one-stop shops will be up and running. When the shop in Tubbercurry is opened it will enhance Tubbercurry, particularly Humbert Street where it will be built. At present, there is a number of derelict buildings on the street and I look forward to construction starting.
I am anxious that this facility be up and running as soon as possible. I have put a great deal of work into it. When the Taoiseach visited Sligo and Tubbercurry I arranged for a deputation and the Tubbercurry chamber of commerce to meet him and we put the case for the one-stop shop. It was approved 13 months ago and I hope it will not be long before it is operational.