Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this topic to be discussed and the Minister of State for coming to the House to debate it.

When the Ennis to Gort motorway, including the bypass of Crusheen, was completed some years ago, people in east Galway and the west were looking forward to the commencement of the Gort to Tuam motorway. As well as the need for the motorway, there was a hope that the project would create employment.

The Minister of State knows the history of this project. In 2010, the contract for the project was awarded to the BAM Balfour Beatty consortium, which could not secure the financial backing to start it. Later, the National Roads Authority had discussions with the consortium known as Roadbridge. Again, private funding was a problem. It is now reported that consideration has been given to completing the Gort to Athenry section only.

This will not be good news for Tuam, where there is traffic congestion, while for years there have been traffic delays between Tuam and Galway city. Four years ago, a €29 million water, sewerage and utilities scheme was sanctioned for Tuam. It has become known as the big dig. It is nearly complete and will be of great benefit to the town. It is a great comfort that the work is to be finished. There has been major traffic disruption in the town of Tuam and there will be huge disappointment if the bypass, which was earmarked six years ago, is not included in the road development. If the funding allows a motorway from Gort to Athenry, there is the question of Claregalway. What are the proposals for Claregalway?

I know the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and the Minister of State, Deputy Kelly, have shown their commitment to funding motorway projects. They have stated this clearly with regard to the west. I raise this issue to learn from the Minister of State if funding is available for the motorway. I know funding from private sources has been difficult to obtain but the west has suffered cutbacks to transport infrastructure projects. There have been cutbacks relating to Galway airport and delays on the western rail corridor.

The Minister has not been hopeful about the western rail corridor project recently. Neither has he been hopeful about the future of Galway Airport. These are all related because they are part of the transport infrastructure we would like to see in the west.

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