Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On January 17, the Taoiseach spoke in the European Parliament. Following his speech, he faced questions from the leader of the Greens-European Free Alliance, Philippe Lamberts, who told him that Ireland was the worst country for tackling climate change in Europe and was very likely to miss its 2020 targets, which might potentially cost this State €400 million. In reply to his questions, the Taoiseach agreed that Ireland is laggardly when it comes to climate change and he said that he wanted to see the electrification of our railways.

I live in the constituency of Cork South West, where for up to 150 km there is absolutely no rail, which puts huge pressure on our depleted roads. In the mid-1850s, there was rail from Cork through Innishannon, Bandon to Clonakilty, Skibbereen through Ballydehob, and all the way to Schull and Mizen Head, and on the north side through Dunmanway and Drimoleague to Bantry. Remember that this was the 1850s, and it allowed people to both travel and do business throughout west Cork but now, 168 years later, we have nothing. Will the Taoiseach sanction a study on how we can bring rail back to west Cork, if only as far as Bandon, to start once again opening up west Cork as a place where strong business can be done? The pressure on our roads due to a lack of rail or any type of proper public transport means that the roads throughout Cork South West are in a depleted state.

Representatives have pleaded time and time again for money to be spent on the roads in west Cork. The bypass in Bandon remains unfinished, and has been for decades now. Innishannon is a bottleneck for workers and all drivers who try to come and go through it in the morning and evenings. Long-suffering drivers might have to stay behind vehicles from Clonakilty to Skibbereen for 50 minutes, a journey which should take 25 minutes. The sheer frustration for long-suffering motorists is palpable in what we are led to believe is a modern era.

In my 32 years of driving, the biggest job carried out and completed on the N71 road has been the Skibbereen bypass in 2003, all of 15 years ago. All other moneys to west Cork have been for simple repairs, which have left a lot to be desired. I ask the Taoiseach to work with me and my colleagues in Cork South West to find the funding from the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohue's Department and to work with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, to carry out proper works on west Cork roads, to create passing bays on our N71 and the R586 from Bandon through Ballineen, Dunmanway, Drimoleague to Bantry and to allow bypasses in Innishannon and Bandon to be completed simply to put west Cork on a level playing pitch with other counties. Over the past 18 years proper works could have been carried out on west Cork roads by two of the Taoiseach's predecessors, but this did not happen. The Taoiseach has a chance to bring rail and a proper road structure to west Cork. Will he do this?

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