John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To follow up on that, the Chair is quite right. It is the congestion and it is the priority that is being put over commuters coming from Balbriggan into Dublin that is causing huge problems for people from the part of the world the Chair represents.

I will make one further point that again highlights why the shared island fund is so important. I note that €1.5 million is going towards the completion of the Carlingford to Newry greenway. It is a fantastic project in one of the most scenic parts of this country. However, it started 12 years ago. It has been in the process for 12 years, both coming from Carlingford through Omeath to the Border and coming from Newry through Victoria Lock to the Border. This shows how important the shared island fund is because we must step into all these projects that local authorities have pushed forward. They have been taken as far as possible but this shows that the shared island fund must be continued as best as possible to come in and provide that high-level funding to get these projects finalised and over the line. I dream of an island that is completely interconnected by greenways, particularly along Border areas as it is a great idea for tourism and cross-Border tourism. However, the idea of a greenway taking 12 years to build is just not realistic. It shows once again why the shared island fund is so important for cross-Border projects. In the area that I am from and the area the Chair represents as a TD, there are three such projects; namely, the Carlingford to Newry greenway, the Narrow Water Bridge and the increased railway infrastructure. It is not that I am a believer but rather I am a huge advocate for the shared island fund and the work the witnesses do. It makes a substantial difference in Border regions.