Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair for allowing me contribute. I welcome the witnesses. I have spoken about this issue previously. I note the title of today's debate includes ongoing projects. I will raise two projects. The first is active travel works in Ballymahon, County Longford, and the second is the N4 project from Mullingar to Rooskey.

Money sanctioned by TII for works in Ballymahon encompasses an active travel route. This project is being done due to the high traffic volume generated by Center Parcs. Part of the project involves narrowing the road on the bridge, which is the access point for traffic to Athlone. The slip lane for Athlone, which is the N55, will be removed, which will back up traffic into the town. This is being done to facilitate an active travel route on the bridge by narrowing the road and developing a footpath and cycleway on the roadway. Is that prudent?

I have met business owners and the business group in Ballymahon. This will only make things worse by backing up traffic into the town. The N55 is a busy artery route through the middle of the country. I ask that an alternative be considered, for instance, installing a footbridge on the side of the bridge to accommodate pedestrians, rather than narrowing the roadway and removing the slip road. This project will back up traffic into the town and make things worse. I ask TII to take that on board and for someone to get back to me on it.

I have raised the N4 project previously. It is not one of the ongoing projects and has been put to one side. Limited funding was put in place for the project this year. I had a presentation in Leinster House some weeks ago with chief executives from all the north-western counties. We had representatives from the chambers of commerce in the north-west counties, encompassing counties Longford, Westmeath, Roscommon, Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal. It affects the entire north west but the project has come to a standstill. As a region, we are entitled to balanced regional development, just as everywhere else in the country is. As regards road safety, a significant number of fatalities on that section of the N4 are caused by head-on collisions, yet we are not prepared to do anything about it. A decision has been made at a different level not to proceed with the project. Based on EU legislation, it is my understanding that under the Stockholm declaration, the speed limit on that road will be reduced in a few years' time because there is no central median and it is not a three- or four-lane carriageway. This will mean our region will be further away from our capital and the ports and airports. This will limit the next generation of investment in our region.

Recently, a company, the name of which has just gone out of my head, made an announcement in which it stated it located in the regions because the site was beside a dual carriageway and had access to Dublin. The north-west region will suffer in generations to come due to a lack of investment because a decision has been made not to progress this road. I believe the project is high on TII's agenda of works to reduce fatalities. This section of road has roughly 500 exits. Where does that project stand? Is TII actively engaging with the Department and the Minister to make sure this is a priority project, as it should be, going forward?