Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

If our population grows to 5 million, in particular if 2 million of the population are in the greater Dublin area, the use of rail will be the only way to go in the next 15 to 20 years. All of those issues are being considered.

The committee is focused on major infrastructural issues. Other issues can be pursued with local authorities in the relevant areas. County Monaghan has been served well by the roads programme, which provided bypasses and roads all over the place. A decade ago there was a problem with roads and potholes in that area but these have been consigned to the history books.

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