Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

What makes it more important is that we have been heartbroken by what has happened with the A5. We were supposed to have a motorway. There is no direct rail connection from Derry and the north west of Ireland. There is no direct motorway connection and no direct air connection. It is a mortal sin what is happening to us. We have been waiting for this motorway. There is no connection. If we have an air connection from north Donegal and County Derry, the entire county, and west Tyrone, it means people can get not just to Dublin but to the world via Dublin Airport. This is about equality of access. Someone can travel half an hour to an airport, fly to Dublin and connect to nearly anywhere. There is certainly massive connectivity to the world. Tourists coming into Ireland can fly to Dublin Airport and connect to Derry. The Minister of State can see how crucial this is. We have let this go now for ten years. I appeal to the Minister of State. She knows about geography, representing a county like Galway. We need to get access into Derry and north Donegal, equality of access for our people to the rest of the country.

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