Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I was afraid the Ceann Comhairle would take my remark personally. At this juncture, it is worthwhile to remind the Government of what it has done to the poor, unfortunate motorist. It has created traffic jams everywhere and charged motorists large sums of money to inhale the exhaust fumes from their cars as they sit in traffic. What else does it have in mind for motorists?

The motorist and the rail passenger are about to meet. It has been said that never the twain shall meet but they are about to do so in this country in a fashion that was never intended, at a roundabout called the Red Cow. Is it fair that this motorist who is carrying on his back this burden of €4 billion which he subscribes every year to the Government, should have to face into a train crossing the road at the Red Cow roundabout? That is how it will be. There is nowhere else for the train or the motorist to go. I suggest that some considerable soul-searching needs to take place to find out who will have the right of way at that time and who should now pay the price of the burden being placed on the poor, unfortunate motorist.

The Ceann Comhairle is a medical man and knows the dangers of being too long in a tunnel, inhaling exhaust fumes. We were recently informed about another Government enterprise in store for the motorist, namely, the Dublin Port tunnel. This tunnel has been a long time in preparation and I am informed that all modern technology was used in the preparation of the plans. Not only did it appear to be too shallow and too narrow but now it appears that it does not have sufficient air——

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