Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I agree it is an important report containing some excellent recommendations. One simple recommendation it makes is in regard to night-time construction of motorways. It refers specifically to construction work on road widening, particularly on the M50. We need to change our ways. On many occasions roads which are being improved are left abandoned, with nobody working on them in the evenings or on Saturdays or Sundays. The work only starts when people must get to and from work. We need a sea change with regard to how we operate. Will the Minister, in conjunction with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, drive forward this agenda in whatever capacity or with whatever powers he can?

The third recommendation refers to getting lorries in and out of ports, and specifically to access to Drogheda port, the Cork road system around the Jack Lynch tunnel and the Dublin outer orbital route, which would take pressure off Dublin and improve communications between Drogheda, Navan, Kildare and elsewhere.

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