Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Having watched the debate on the monitor, I am very concerned. Given the current economic climate, I wonder is TII facilitating the Government to ensure it does not overspend. TII was before the committee not so long ago regarding the Dunkettle interchange in Cork. That project has been pulled because it did not properly go out to tender on day one. In this case, a project that was ready to go to build stage is now being pulled. It beggars belief why all this is happening now.

In considering solutions for the Ardee bog, I have travelled in poorer countries where flyovers on stilts can be built over conservation areas. Has such a solution been considered? The M7 and M8 motorways, from Dublin to Limerick and Cork, were delayed because of a snail issue in Kildare. That became a protracted issue.

It is a pity this took so long to come to a head. Instead of moving a mountain to fill a valley, does TII, in its construction programme, consider tunnels, or flyovers on stilts, as opposed to ploughing through areas? People have spoken about floods but we do not need a land bank going through the entire bog. Would people compromise if it was built on stilts and there was a flyover for the bog area? I do not know the acreage but it looks substantial. Would TII consider a flyover? It would speed things up.