Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

The Minister should be here, since, even this morning, there is total confusion regarding a main road talked about not only in County Meath or in Ireland, but across the world. It is crucial that he attend to explain exactly what is going on. Does he intend to re-route the road? Someone should let us know whether the Green Party asked the Government to sign this off before it entered office. Has any plan B been drawn up to re-route the motorway around the Hill of Tara? Perhaps the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, might be able to answer. He could inform me what is going on tomorrow at the Meath GAA golf classic. It is crucial that the Minister attend to let people know what is happening, since it is on the issue of the M3 that this Government might fall — a good deal more quickly than anticipated.

I am obviously not going to prevail upon the Minister to attend. As Fine Gael spokesperson on road safety, I broadly welcome this overdue Roads Bill 2007. I will concentrate on sections 9 and 10, which will facilitate the provision of service areas on the national roads network.

The lack of such service and rest areas has serious implications for road safety. Drivers travelling long distances for commercial or social reasons need rest breaks. Motorways such as the M1 have no facilities for pulling in safely onto the hard shoulder. The case for service and rest areas is overwhelming. They are a common sight on all motorways in the UK and Europe.

It was a serious error of judgment that they were not planned for on Irish motorways. The NRA and the previous Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, belatedly came to their senses and agreed that such facilities should be built on our motorway network. The then Minister for Transport made a commitment that rest areas would be put in place along the new motorways from towns and cities such as Dundalk, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Wexford.

However, the NRA did not have the legal authority to provide service areas via an amendment to the Roads Act. The then Minister for Transport failed to have the necessary amendments to the Act approved by the Dáil before the general election was called. It was intended that the NRA, working with local authorities, should buy suitable sites and secure planning permission. The facilities would then be provided on a "build and operate" basis. However, it appears that little real progress has been made in securing suitable sites and getting construction work started. The previous Minister failed to deliver on this important project. Another tourism season will pass with Irish families and foreign visitors left in limbo on the motorways when they need to fill up with petrol or take a short break in their journey.

Service and rest areas are part of modern, efficient road networks. It is an area in which we lag behind most European countries. I call on the Minister and the NRA to ensure this project is given top priority.

I also welcome the provision in the Bill that there will be consultation with those living close to the new service areas. I know from experience that proper consultation with local residents whenever a project such as this is planned is essential.

An issue which the Minister might take into consideration, which has been brought to my notice by farmers, in particular, and on which my colleague touched is that of land bought from farmers specifically to build a roadway. What will be the case when part of the land is used for industrial or commercial purposes? Will the farmer be able to claim compensation at a later stage on the basis that he sold his land specifically to build a roadway? Perhaps this should be looked into because some farmers in my county have raised it. If we intend to build rest areas, land would have been bought under false pretences. Perhaps the Minister might look into this issue before it ends up in a court in Europe.

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