Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Walsh for his correspondence regarding the matter with which we engaged at our last meeting. At that time, I raised the issue of roadside parking of heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, in Rosslare. My next comment is not aimed at Mr. Walsh. In general, the solution is not very satisfactory. I know it is an interim solution. We continue to park these vehicles on the roadside albeit they are off the main thoroughfare on a link road. We have a serious commercial driver shortage. It is a worldwide shortage. As an island nation, Ireland depends very much on road transport. None of the stakeholders that have been engaged in this - everybody from the Office of Public Works, OPW, to Wexford County Council to TII, the NRA, Rosslare Europort and even Revenue - have given consideration to the health, safety and well-being of the driving population. That no consideration is given to their sanitary provisions is a poor reflection on how we regard what I would regard as front-line workers. If you were to enter the OPW facility and tell the customs officers they would not be able to use a toilet, you would not get the same level of co-operation. I want it on the record that we are doing nothing as a country to support our front-line workers in that regard. I thank Mr. Walsh for his engagement because it is not his primary responsibility. TII is a stakeholder and I expect that there will be further engagement but my criticism is not aimed solely at Mr. Walsh.

I refer to what previous speakers have raised. Mr. Walsh will have received a letter from the chair of the South East First Citizens' Forum regarding projects on the N24 and N25. It appears that the next phase of funding will not go ahead. Is this correct?