Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy Clendennen said, is not just about having a road there for the current users and adding to capacity by putting in something that is more robust and bigger. It is also about opening up that gateway and providing roads infrastructure that will create more jobs in the midlands area. It is a connection piece. It is connecting the two motorways so that people can go north to south or south to north. At the moment, all we seem to be doing is connecting the cities with each other. We need to be able to connect the midlands with everywhere else as well.