Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Addressing safety issues should be a priority. There have been accidents and deaths at the top of Lewis Road. We need to get rid of the massive amount of traffic on that road. Madam's Hill junction, Farranfore junction with a turn-off for Firies, mid-Kerry and Dingle, Park Road roundabout and junction which caters for traffic to the the industrial estates and people from Gneeveguilla are all dangerous roads. The junction at Ballycasheen is also deadly. Other accidents and deaths have occurred at Coolcaslagh. We have to make the case for the continuation of the growth of the tourism product in Killarney. Some €180 million is being spent there which is projected to go up to over €500 million by 2025. If we include all direct and indirect spending, some €410 million is generated in Killarney. The tourism industry employs 3,122 people. We need to protect these jobs and add to them. It does not make sense to have the traffic from Glengarriff, Kenmare and Sneem travelling around by Kenmare Place to get to other parts of the country. As many vehicles need to pass through Killarney, I ask the Minister to prioritise this very important project. We have been told by IBEC that Ireland has the fewest infrastructural projects under way in Europe. I ask both the Minister and the Minister of State to prioritise this very important project.

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