Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Leddin for his remarks. He is absolutely correct. Well-being comes from how we look after our local environment. Transport is critical to that. It will encourage him in the work he has been doing on transport policy in Limerick to know that what I heard today amounted to broad agreement that as we build the Coonagh-Knocklisheen road, we should put in bus lanes. As we build it, if not in advance, we should open up pedestrian access so the community gets the very best of access to the rest of the city and neighbouring areas. As we build it, we should put in high-quality cycling infrastructure connecting the three Limerick colleges, namely, Limerick IT, Mary Immaculate College and University of Limerick, and completely transform the way the city works.

On Deputy O'Connor's points, it is funny that we were discussing Castlemartyr with the Department yesterday. It is a very good example of what we need to do. Our Towns First strategy is central to everything the Government is doing. Investment in transport should be supporting that. I am not necessarily referring to over-dimensioned initiatives or those involving considerable expense or length but to critical bypass infrastructure that can revitalise villages and towns. The 19th century market towns and villages need to be the centres of our development. That is what the national planning framework states. We need to use the beautiful historical buildings and the public realm. I absolutely agree with the Deputy in that respect.

I assure Deputy Carey that the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, and I are absolutely focused on Shannon, in particular, because we have an immediate decision regarding the chairperson of the board, but we are also focused on making sure the industries we need to create employment for our people, including the tourism industry and others that require connectivity, will be protected as we move out of this Covid crisis.

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