Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. I would like to echo Deputy Smith's comments on the A5. I am really keen that in building the A5, we do not forget about the Donegal TEN-T and the M2 because it is all one project in many ways, or at least it is all the one road, albeit that its name changes when it crosses the Border.

Regarding the Ulster final in Clones, I have never been to the Ulster final but I have been to Dublin matches in Clones. It is not for me to decide whether the final stays there. I hope to get to an Ulster final there long before Casement Park is built, which I think will be a while anyway.

I have heard of the Wider Horizons programme but I am not familiar with it. I will ask a member of my team to contact the Deputy to follow up on it. It might be something we could fund from the shared island fund, unless there is already something similar which has replaced it. I am not 100% sure.

Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the important issue of water safety. As he mentioned, more than 100 people drowned in Ireland last year, which is a very large number. With the Assembly and the Executive operating again, there is an opportunity to have Inland Waterways Ireland, which is a North-South body, working to its full effect. I am always open to learning from other jurisdictions where they do things better than us. I think Inland Waterways Ireland, not the local authorities, is the responsible body. I will double-check that and look into the issue of extending the lifeguard season. I completely agree that they should have whatever equipment they need. They should not have to provide it themselves.

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