Mr. Eamonn O'Sullivan:

Monaghan is key to the delivery of infrastructure for the region. There is a certain amount of frustration among the cathaoirleach and members of Monaghan County Council that the Clontibret to Border section of the project was advanced by 2012 to preferred route corridor stage. That has been protected in the council's development plan, and rightly so, but it is having a very frustrating effect on economic development in the corridor.

I have staff and a council that are willing to fast-track the project to get it to the point whereby a preferred route is decided. That would not take a significant amount of funding - perhaps in the order of €1.6 million of an allocation would allow Monaghan County Council and its staff to progress the project to the point whereby a preferred route is identified. The commitment from the council and staff, working with TII and Transport Northern Ireland, is that we will fast-track this project because we recognise its importance to the region and are prepared to play our part. That is why we are jointly supporting today's submission to the committee.