Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh míle maith agat, a Chathaoirleach. Tá mé an-bhuíoch duit agus d'fhoireann an choiste as ucht comhoibriú liom ionas go dtarlódh an cruinniú fíorthábhachtach seo. Tá mé an-bhuíoch do na finnéithe ar fad a tháinig isteach agus, go háirithe, do mo chomhghleacaithe anseo - na Teachtaí Dála agus na Seanadóirí as ceantar na Gaillimhe - as an tsuim atá acu san fhadhb seo a léiriú. Is ábhar an-mhór agus fíorthábhachtach é seo. Dar liom, is é ceann de na rudaí is práinní atá againn in iarthar na hÉireann.

I will not go through the statistics. They have been illustrated very well by all of the speakers. I will not spend a long time talking, because I am really keen that everybody gets a chance to contribute. This is not about me or any single person. It is about all of us working together. As Mr. Neary said, in business we are measured by results. One is measured by what one achieves. He also called on us to stop talking and to start more action. That is the world I come from too.

Mr. McGrath outlined the situation where traffic congestion is concerned. There are more than 6,000 vehicles at morning peak time, which is between 120% and 140% above capacity. The population of Galway is going to grow by 45,000 in the next 22 years. We cannot cope with existing traffic, never mind what is going to happen. I am really scared that we will keep doing what we have always done. Members know the outcome of that. We will get what we always got.

I have some brief questions. Can Ms Graham, Mr. McGrath and Mr. Kelly tell me a little bit about the relationship between the three different organisations, how well they are working together and their joined-up thinking? That is my first question.

My second relates to Galway City Council and Galway County Council and the level of their engagement with companies like Medtronic that employ a significant number of people in the Galway area.

The personal stories are really important. Can Mr. Neary share with us some of the challenges his staff members go through? I am from Spiddal and I used to travel to school in Galway by bus every day. I would leave at 8.20 a.m. and I would be in school 8.50 a.m. If I left my parents' house at 8.20 a.m. today, I would arrive at the same destination at 9.30 a.m. That is 45 years later. Look at the backward step we have taken. It is absolutely incredible. I am keen to see what Ms Graham, Mr. Kelly and Mr. McGrath's short-term, medium-term and long-term objectives are. In regard to their first, second and third objectives, what are the key performance indicators, KPIs, determining whether goals are being achieved or not? What is the project management strategy?