Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Walsh. I have a final question, if the Leas-Chathaoirleach will allow it. I do not dispute the TII is perfectly entitled to make this proposal. I just dispute how it could manifest itself in real life. Deputies and Senators here will know this is one of those little things that gets slotted in at the end of the county development plan. It has been sent to many local authorities. People should tune into this. It is maybe not so much an issue in Dublin, but this will totally shut down what can happen in counties such as Meath and Cork and pretty much anywhere in the west of Ireland. Mr. Walsh said it is Government policy, but it is totally contrary to what the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, are trying to lead out as regards housing and rural development.

However, I respect the role of the witnesses. I will take it up with the Minister.

Mr. O'Neill is probably the best person to refer this question to. Where a road stops in the middle of nowhere, it can be very frustrating for us as public representatives. It is very frustrating for motorists and I am sure it is frustrating for TII. There are a number of examples. I am not totally familiar with Deputy O'Connor's examples, but he is going down a path and I want to go a little bit further, and perhaps to veer off it a little bit as well.

The Limerick north distributor road is not included in TII's brief, but it links with the N18 and the national assets maintained by TII. At the moment phase 1 is going full tilt and construction vehicles are on site every day. It will end at a roundabout on one of TII's roads. It will end on a roundabout on a regional road. Phase 2 will never happen. This is a fact because, as the witnesses have stated, the Minister said he does not believe it should happen. Mr. O'Neill might not be able to comment specifically but, in a general sense, does he not think it is a bit ludicrous? It might be a bit like Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote, where there is a road coming out of town that drops off and goes nowhere. When you go out of town you fall off the edge of it. That is what it feels like to us. It is better to build no roads than to build half a road and to have a roundabout in the middle of nowhere. Does Mr. O'Neill agree?