Joe Callanan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

Transport 21 involves investment in transport infrastructure of in excess of €34 million over the ten-year period that covers the areas of national roads, public transport and regional airports. Never in my lifetime have I seen such investment in infrastructure and I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Cullen, and the Government in this regard.

This investment is shared all over the country. No matter where one drives at present, one will see significant programmes on our roads. County Galway shares this progress. The completion of the Loughrea bypass, a 4 km single carriageway, is a considerable asset to the town and I thank those involved. At present, there are many other schemes, such as the Galway city outer bypass, which is progressing to CPO and which is expected to proceed in 2006 at a cost of €3 million. The N6, between Galway and Ballinasloe, is being developed as a PPP project. The site clearance contracts have been procured and commenced in September 2006. The N6, between Athlone and Ballinasloe, is also in the planning stages. As I drive home, there is already a motorway to Kinnegad and I understand in January it will extend to Kilbeggan. We will carry on then with the upgrade of the N6, to Athlone and Ballinasloe. This will mean that the time involved in getting from the west to Dublin will be cut considerably. I am delighted with this; I never thought this type of roadway would be built in my lifetime.

On the Galway to Tuam road, the An Bord Pleanála hearing on a carriageway providing a bypass of Tuam concluded on 25 April and a decision is awaited. A CPO was published in 2005 for the N17 Castletown project, which involves the realignment and removal of poor junctions north of Tuam.

The Milltown to Mayo boundary project, involving 8 km of two-lane carriageway, is at the planning stage. The route selection report for the Athlone to Gort 27 km high quality dual-carriage is nearing completion, with investigations taking place at present. The Gort to Crusheen project is 22 km long and 50% of this would be in County Clare. However, a second entrance to Gort is crucial to that development. The current proposal, which provides for only one entrance, is not adequate.

I congratulate the Government on the western rail corridor. Many commentators said this was a dead duck and it would not be re-opened. However, work has commenced and I congratulate everybody involved. It will open up the west and allow isolated areas to come to the fore. Plots of land have been bought up near the stations on the old line and I am delighted the corridor is being re-opened.

The Ennis-Athenry section involves the introduction of scheduled train services between Limerick and Galway, the enhancement of existing commuter services between Ennis and Limerick and the development of the Galway commuter rail service between Galway and Athenry. This phase, with a capital cost of €106.5 million, involves the upgrading of 36 miles of track and associated infrastructure, the elimination of approximately 125 farm-accommodation crossings and the provision of five stations at Gort, Ardrahan and Craughwell on the Ennis-Athenry line, Sixmilebridge on the Limerick-Ennis line and Oranmore on the Athenry-Galway line.

Seven services a day in each direction are proposed between Limerick and Galway targeting commuters, as well as providing links to Intercity services from both cities. Construction is expected to commence in 2007 and the Government is on track to meet that target. The provision of new stations at Gort, Ardrahan, Craughwell, Oranmore and Sixmilebridge will facilitate more sustainable commuting patterns between these expanding satellite centres and Galway and Limerick. The project will also provide incentives for more sustainable and efficient land use planning by local authorities. In the context of considerable population growth projected for the area, the development of stations in existing centres should also facilitate improved land use planning on the part of the relevant local authorities. It will give commuters a strong rail link between Limerick and Galway, the country's third and fourth largest cities, and a key corridor under the national spatial strategy.

Those of us in the west used to look to Dublin a few years ago and say all the work was being provided there but we are delighted the tiger is moving towards the west and investment is taking place in roads between Dublin and Galway. I compliment everybody involved and I look forward to the opening of the western rail corridor and the completion of the dual carriageway between both cities.

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