Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a question in regard to employment permits but I first want to pick up on the discussion about the south east. I am from the south east but people sometimes forget that my area of south Tipperary is part of the south-east region. We saw in the census figures some months ago that the number of people who are now moving to the south east is much higher than the national average. Those people are moving there because there are jobs and a good standard of living. People see it the way the Minister and I see it in terms of the glass being half full and there being a lot of positivity. In terms of job creation for the region, last year was the second highest across the country, so the facts are there.

With regard to infrastructure, in particular roads, the Minister gave a list of projects in the region and a list of job creation and education projects, in particular the new university in Waterford that will be launched in a couple of weeks, along with TUS Clonmel, which means there are two universities in the south-east region. Will the Minister confirm the position with the N24? An awful lot of work was done by Senator John Cummins and more again by Fine Gael representatives. I would like to think that Oireachtas Members would know that the N24 is on the national development plan up to planning stage. Can the Minister confirm that?