Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

Westmeath County Council is trying, within reason, to minimise the inconvenience caused to the businesses and local people who use this stretch of road and are affected by this.

The NRA is the funding master, to whom Westmeath County Council will go for the cheque at the end of the year. It has dictated that this section of road must be completed by the end of December 2012. The contractor is saying that cannot be done without closing the medians, one in July and one in August. This will result in a four month period when a severe diversion, 10 km in one direction and 5 km in the other, will be required. The local business people have engaged traffic consultants and have made a proposal, identical to that originally suggested by the local authority and by SIAC, the contractor, that the medians remain open until the bridge is completed.

We ask that the NRA allow the additional time needed, which might be a month or two, running up to February 2013, to allow the work to be completed, to keep the medians open and support the 50 jobs that are on the line at present.

The Government has, rightly, prioritised job creation. Fifty jobs are on the line here. The Minister for Transport turned the sod on this project. He must not turn the key on four businesses and see 50 job losses, simply because the NRA is unaccommodating. I ask the Minister of State to ask the Minister to have his officials consult with Westmeath County Council to bring about a satisfactory conclusion and support the 50 jobs that are on the line.

See this speech in context