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

If the Minister was in the constituency of Cork South-West, he certainly did not tell me he was coming to talk to the people. I would have taken him to see the roads that are in a scandalous condition and to see the lack of investment throughout west Cork that his Government has continuously overseen. As Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe has had his hands on the purse strings. While I respect that he cannot direct specific projects, he can be part of a Government that creates a change in mindset to create funding for major projects in west Cork. We need moneys that were promised last year to be spent for the much needed repairs of the Ballydehob to Bantry section of the N71. More than anything else, will the Government approve immediate funding to complete the Bandon southern relief road, the full northern relief road in Bandon, and the Innishannon bypass? If it does, west Cork will start to catch up with other constituencies. I ask the Minister to please direct his reply to that and not to everything else that I have not said.

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