Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like be wrong about this but I do not know how anyone can guarantee this project, given the current situation. The Chairman has been in the Dáil for the last number of years along with myself and other colleagues. He will agree that nobody knows what will happen in the context of Brexit. Nobody knows what is going to happen with regard to the children's hospital or the broadband plan. The whole situation is in turmoil at the moment. I am just saying that the people of Ardee deserve better. This has been going on since 2004. We cannot leave this room today and say that this bypass is definitely going to happen in 2020 or 2021 because we do not know that. As the Chairman said, we could be facing an economic collapse. I hope that I am wrong but I am very disappointed.

My question relates to the stakeholders. Are there any new stakeholders involved now who were not involved previously? There was so much work done in the past over a long period and now, all of a sudden, we are in a mess. We had the exact same problem with the Narrow Water Bridge project in Louth. We thought we had the money but when the council went to tender, the costs had increased two or threefold. The same thing could happen in Ardee. Why are we so unlucky in County Louth? We have a project that is shovel ready but for some unknown reason, a review is being conducted and everything has been put on hold. The contractors and everyone else were ready to go. I just cannot understand it. There is something wrong here. Can the witnesses tell me what is wrong?