Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

It moved around the areas.

Last Monday, the additional contract was signed for the Dundalk-Newry road and the continuation of the M1 which, I hope, will develop further. All the economic analysis indicates that business in the Border region is still only 25% to 30% of what it would be between two regions if it had not been for the conflicts of the past. Border Deputies know better than I that business investors have continually stated that the quality of the transport network presented them with problems. However, the opposite is now the case because, as Deputies know, the journey time between Dublin and Belfast is much shorter, even keeping well within the law. This will be improved further after the Ballymascanlon and Dundalk bypasses are complete. The contract for the M1 into Newry was also signed the other day, the completion of which will make an enormous difference. In the normal course of investment, this should represent a major improvement, as was stated to me in a recent meeting with the chamber of commerce in Dundalk and with the Newry and Mourne chamber of commerce late last year. They all state that these developments will lead to greater investment and I hope they do.

I accept Deputy Crawford's point that Monaghan has for a long time relied on its indigenous industries of furniture, mushrooms and so on and has not received the kind of inward investment that would have made a difference. However, the difference in prices and travel times on that road should make an enormous difference and I hope that comes to pass. It now represents some of the country's best infrastructure.

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