Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

On 13 December 1978, Charles Haughey, the then Minister for Health, in a debate on Ireland joining the European monetary system, put his finger on the factor that had contributed to our low level of economic achievement, compared to other European countries. He said "that factor is the level, the appropriateness and the suitability of our infrastructure". He helped establish the network of regional airports, his colleague and successor, Albert Reynolds, modernised the telecommunications system and they both negotiated the European funding that enabled Ireland to embark on other basic infrastructural improvement programmes.

It is to the great credit of the Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, and his colleagues that from the late 1990s they have used the opportunities and financial freedom created by the Celtic tiger economy to adopt an extremely ambitious programme involving the modernisation of our entire transport system, including the creation of inter-urban highways and a massive increase in the capacity of our public transport system. At a time when critics in the Opposition and media endlessly craw-thump about relatively minor failed projects we should celebrate the lasting contribution the Taoiseach, the Government, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Noel Dempsey and the former Minister for Transport, Deputy Martin Cullen have made to the welfare of this country in progressing and implementing Transport 21. This initiative saves not only time and money for people and businesses but opens up a whole range of new possibilities and greatly improves road safety. The investment is well advanced but there is much more to come.

Roads to motorway or dual carriageway standard are spreading across the country. The road to the Border, the M1, is already complete and is a showcase. In 1982, when I was the Taoiseach's adviser on Northern Ireland, the late Cardinal Ó Fiaich said to me "if you want to reunite Ireland, do something about the Dublin-Belfast road". Great progress has also been made on the Dublin-Cork road, the Dublin-Galway road, and the N11 down the east coast to Wexford.

The Dublin-Cork road goes through the heart of south Tipperary and in the past month the Cashel-Cahir section has been completed in tandem with the N24 Cahir bypass, where congestion could cause delays of up to 20 minutes. Sticking to the speed limit, the bypass takes just four minutes, leaving one well beyond Cahir on the Clonmel road, whereas going through the town, even at times when there is little traffic, takes eight minutes. It is perhaps no accident that, in anticipation of these improvements, Cahir is the fastest growing town in south Tipperary, with the population up by more than 20% since the last census and with both Cahir and Cashel becoming very attractive for investment and tourism. The second stage of the Cahir-Mitchelstown road will be complete by this time next year as progress has been exceptionally fast. I hope the Minister will open it.

It is vital that, once complete, this work is complemented by improvement of the N24 connecting the two gateway cities of Limerick and Waterford. The Tipperary bypass is an absolute priority as it is the only town left on the route where the N24 passes through the main street and the number of heavy lorries make it as congested as Ennis and Gorey were before their bypasses were completed. The whole length of the N24 needs to be upgraded. The Clonmel bypass, which has a series of roundabouts on it, keeps traffic out of the town centre but, increasingly, acts only as an inner relief road. Given the disappointing and regrettable news today of 140 employees being let go at Bulmers, which is on the N24, maintaining the competitiveness of Clonmel, which has many thriving industries, requires an outer bypass. In Carrick-on-Suir the N24 skirts around the main street but there is no proper bypass. Beyond the two by one highway outside Carrick-on-Suir, into Waterford, the part of the road close to Waterford is of poor quality. I sometimes travel from Carrick-on-Suir up the east coast and I welcome the improvements on the N30 between New Ross and Enniscorthy. I look forward to the second bridge at New Ross and I am sure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle feels likewise.

Money has been allocated to upgrade the plans for the N24 and I welcome the decision of the National Roads Authority, NRA, to bring the Tipperary bypass up to dual carriageway standard. There have been meetings of both Tipperary Town Council and South Tipperary County Council to urge the acceleration of the Tipperary bypass between Pallasgreen in County Limerick and Bansha. It would be great if the contracted firms and teams working on the Cahir-Mitchelstown road could move across to the N24 when the N8 upgrade is complete.

I use public transport most days of the week. I take the bus, Luas and DART when I am in Dublin and regularly use mainline to and from Limerick Junction, though I have to use the car in those circumstances. When it is practical and convenient, I prefer to travel by public transport. When I was on the negotiating team leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, my preference for the train, because it allows more productive use of time, was a standing joke with the rest of the delegation and, on one occasion, the source of a serious reprimand by the Garda Commissioner.

In contrast to the lingering death sentence pronounced in the 1984 Fine Gael-Labour economic plan, Building on Reality, that there would be no more investment in railways, Fianna Fáil established the Arrow rail service, modernised the Enterprise service between Dublin and Belfast and built the highly successful Luas system, which will undoubtedly become one of the principal workhorses of city public transport. Its schedule is regular, predictable and reliable.

A rail connection to Dublin Airport, given its projected passenger growth, is vital and should not be further delayed. There is some opposition from people such as the chairman of Ryanair, who have rubbished the prospect of a rail link. Such detractors should consider where Stansted Airport would be without a rail connection. New trains are in service on the Dublin-Cork route, with nine each way from Limerick Junction to Dublin and 18 from Thurles. However, I regret the withdrawal of the meal service except at breakfast.

There is a serious problem in terms of car parking facilities both in Dublin and elsewhere. For example, at the Sandyford and Stillorgan Luas stops and at Thurles and Limerick Junction, the carparks fill up relatively early in the morning. This requires urgent attention as it will slow the growth of public transport and require people to make or complete their journeys by road.

I welcome the improvements to passenger services on the Tipperary local rail lines threatened with closure only some years ago. Commuting needs must be taken into account in development plans for cities such as Limerick, Waterford and Cork as well as in respect of long-distance journeys. I am pleased the Cork-Midleton railway is at last being developed, having been recommended in a Deloitte & Touche study 30 years ago. Luas systems — not merely lookalikes — should be considered for Cork and Waterford. The existing rail lines around Limerick should be exploited. I am a great supporter of the western rail corridor and look forward to being able to travel from Tipperary to Galway by rail. It would be a great way to get to the races given that there is a bus service from Eyre Square.

See this speech in context