Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

There are two aspects to this. Obviously, the Minister, the NRA, the traffic authorities concerned and the Garda look at any possible practical short-term measures that are realistic and viable. We all recognise that there is a particular problem but, unfortunately, when problems are highlighted people then suggest that no progress is being made on any front. As Deputy Kenny will be aware, there is a major investment plan for the upgrading of the M50, which the Minister for Transport is pursuing with the NRA, and we have seen such works being carried out successfully on other major routes such as the Naas Road.

While it is not for me to decry any suggestion that may come from anybody who is dealing with these matters — I am sure they can be looked at in a practical way by the authorities concerned — a genuine priority is being accorded to a major investment to increase capacity there. The suggestion that lifting barriers would deal with existing capacity rather than attract further capacity and cause further gridlock is another issue to which traffic management experts refer. There is no simple obvious solution to this problem. Changing the interchanges, widening the motorway and providing more capacity is the genuine solution and of course that takes time. In the meantime anything that can be done to alleviate what I acknowledge is a difficult situation can be considered.

See this speech in context