Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Barry and Mr. Nolan for attending. It is disappointing we do not have some Northern representation. I would like to mention some of the issues raised. There have been problems along the A5. We should apply pressure to get them addressed, pending funding becoming available. The Taoiseach said he would start to make money available in 2015 or 2016, so it is very important we overcome all the problems and objections.

I refer to the N16 and the A4. There is a suggestion that the Sligo to Belfast via Enniskillen road has been removed from the 2021 plan. I do not know if that is true and I would like to know where we stand with that. Could we have got TEN-T funding for work on that road? We seem to very slack in terms of chasing European funding. Is that funding being chased North and South for some of these bigger projects?

I would like to ask about the N4, the Castlebaldwin-Cloonamahon road. As we know, almost 30 people have been killed on that 9 km stretch. The Minister indicated he has a design, etc. When will the work commence? The Minister said he was ready to deal with it.

I refer to the Narrow Water Bridge. As far as I know, there was an issue about funding, tendering and so on. We need to get moving on these projects because these links are vital. Many of these are major cross-Border links. The Good Friday Agreement is about getting the infrastructure North and South, in particular to the north west and links taking in Donegal, Derry and places like that. They are fundamental links which need to be established. There are links throughout the rest of the country. The only main roads which seem to be left out are the links to Derry and Donegal. They seem to be more isolated than anywhere else.