Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

Meath is a special case. I know everybody comes in here thinking their own county is a special case. This morning, the majority of workers in County Meath left County Meath to go to work. This happens in no other local authority area in the 32 counties of this great country. People from Meath commute further to work than people in any other county. I know the damage it is doing to people. I know of people spending three hours commuting a day. They do not get to see their families during the week. They get to see their families at the weekend alone. It is having an enormous economic impact. Travelling these journeys on a daily basis costs families thousands of euro never mind the cost to the environment. The problem is that we have had dozens of feasibility studies. We have had analysis and reviews coming out of our ears for decades in County Meath. It is in a draft plan at present. What is missing is the political will. I have confidence that if it is going to happen it will happen under the Minister's stewardship. I ask the Minister to give it the political will. I ask the Minister to say today that it will happen.

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