Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. McCann and the committee for bringing this forward. It is a major issue for us as public representatives in the north west. As an Oireachtas Member for the Sligo-Leitrim constituency, which covers Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon and all the other areas that were mentioned, I was very interested to hear the points raised by Dr. McCann. I have, on a number of past occasions, listened to his presentations on the need for this upgrade and about the statistics attached to the issue.

I have met with the Chamber of Commerce in Sligo several times. I welcome to the Public Gallery Mr. Aidan Doyle from the chamber, which supports the business improvement districts and industry in Sligo. I also welcome Mr. Bill Carty, who had a long association as a senior executive with Abbott Diagnostics. This issue has been a huge contributing factor over the years where we have a deficit for jobs and infrastructure in our area. We talk about the Wild Atlantic Way, which is brilliant and it was referred to here in respect of tourism, jobs and safety. We do not have any of those provisions with the N4 or N5 and I travel that road on an almost daily basis as do my colleagues. People have said to me, and it was outlined by Dr. McCann and by Mr. Carty, that IDA Ireland has had executives from various parts of the country and worldwide in Sligo and the north-west area looking at potential sites and areas in which to invest.

Unfortunately, they find the sight of so many white crosses on the roadsides between Collooney and Castlebaldwin very off-putting. Many fatalities have occurred on this stretch of road, on which works are under way.

There is a major deficit in roads infrastructure outside Dublin. I have travelled all over the country and the area west of Mullingar has not received infrastructural investment comparable to that which has been provided in the east. Money has not been spent on the roads from Mullingar to Sligo, which are second rate. I appeal to members, when assessing the outcome of this meeting, to look favourably on the case for providing funding for the N4 and N5 roads projects, perhaps on a joint basis.

I am making a cry for help. Only recently, I met a delegation from all the chambers of commerce in counties Westmeath, Sligo, Leitrim and Longford. We seek a fair crack of the whip and a fair share of funding to upgrade infrastructure. While the Wild Atlantic Way has been a major success, business people tell me that time is money. Many industry leaders have informed me that the west is losing business and jobs because we do not have vital road infrastructure to Dublin and other ports.