Mr. Peter Walsh:

I probably cannot contribute anything to that particular aspect of understanding but I hear the Deputy's frustration. I understand that for a project that has been awaited for 20 years to be further delayed is a source of immense frustration for people. We have projects all over the country that have been awaited for a very long time. We were 25 years building and are about to complete the New Ross bypass. We have the N6 project going back to An Bord Pleanála after 14 years.

Delays to projects occur. This review is needed on the basis of issues brought to our attention by elected representatives and the genuine concerns of local residents that connectivity of the local community will be negatively impacted. The engagement between Louth County Council and those groups, and the detailed submissions received from them, pointed to the changes that had occurred in the time since planning approval was granted in 2005 and raised issues that needed to be addressed. The idea that we would proceed with a project over which there were significant question marks in terms of whether changes needed to be made would fly in the face of our obligations under the public spending code to ensure we do what is right and do so correctly. We need to ensure this is the right project for this reason, and the forthcoming consultation in Louth is an effort to do that. The reason I mentioned bodies such as An Post, school bus services and so on was to provide some reassurance that the submissions received had been noted. For example, a number of them pointed to the width of a road used by some buses being such that they could not turn on it and there would be issues in terms of the circuit they currently travel. All of that information has to be responded to. I did not choose the organisations I mentioned out of the blue. Rather, they are the organisations from which we received submissions.

I hope I have answered the Deputy's question.