Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for allowing me to say a few words as I am not a member of the committee. I welcome everybody from the different organisations. I thank Mr. Butler, Dr. McCann, Mr. Corcoran and Mr. Carty, whom I know quite well from Sligo. Mr. Butler referenced Abbott Ireland. Not alone does it have operations in Longford, but we have Abbott companies in Sligo which contribute massively to the economy of the area and employ I do not know how many people in total, certainly well into the hundreds or thousands anyway. It is massive when one thinks about it. They employ people from the surrounding areas of Sligo, not just Sligo town, including Ballymote, Collooney and Tubercurry.

In support of what has been requested today, I have met quite recently IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, and they say there is no question but that the major issue in trying to get companies to the north west, particularly to Sligo, is the road. We do not have an airport as we did before, which made it easier for people - company managers and directors - to consider Sligo as an option when one could fly in and fly out. Now all we have is the road. It is a very poor road. I am glad that the Casltebaldwin stretch from Castlebaldwin to Sligo, which is a 12 km part of the road, was enforced. We all hope that will be started next year, and we are told it will. When one considers that 27 people were killed on that stretch of road of 12 km - 27 fatalities over the past few years - I hope this will help in some small way.

I understand the Mullingar to Roosky route has been selected. I know how this work takes place and all the controversy, the problems and everything else it creates for local authorities and council members, but it is good to know that it has been selected. Over the past year particularly, there have been quite a number of launches of development plans and so on, but what we really and truly need is a commitment. This road will have to be done in stages. I am talking about the N4 mostly now; the N5 is another issue. What we need is a commitment to go to stage one. We need a road plan - excuse the pun - of where we are going. Even if the Minister said tomorrow morning that the Department will complete the N4 from Mullingar to Roosky, we are looking at six or seven years before we get near the road, quite honestly, when all the preparatory works are carried out. If we are serious about regional development and if we are to have any hope in the north west, it is crucial that this commitment be given. Even if a commitment were given to begin work on the road, even if it were next year or the year after, it will still take quite a long time to get to the stage at which advanced work is carried out on the road. What we need is that commitment so that we can say to people who are planning on investing, hopefully, in the north west that it will start, that a programme is in place and that it will be completed. That is crucial.

There is no doubt about it: Dublin is bursting at the seams. People cannot live here because they cannot afford the accommodation. There are people I know commuting from Longford and from Carrick-on-Shannon to Dublin. That is very unfair on those people and their families, so it is crucial that the commitment be given. All we want is a commitment that this road will start at a particular time, that the process will be started and that, once started, it will be finished eventually.

Whatever I can do to support what is being done here, I will do.

I apologise on behalf of Deputy Eugene Murphy who cannot be here this morning.