Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the initial funding that gave us the lifeline for the design stage of the Cahir to Waterford project at least but I am shocked and taken aback by the reply that a business case has to be made. The business case has long since been made for this road project. Whether it is a motorway or dual carriageway, the bypass of Tipperary town is badly needed. I have spoken to the Minister umpteen times about it and he has given commitments and said he wants to do it. Tipperary town has to be allowed to live. To think we will have to make a business case to TII again about this major infrastructural project that is so necessary to the region and at a national level is shocking. This is part of the route providing connectivity from the port at Foynes to Rosslare. The Minister is ideologically not in favour of motorways and new roads but life has to go on, people have to live and business has to flourish and we are being handicapped with our hands tied behind our backs and blindfolded with this inferior road, not to mention the fatalities that occurred on it last year and, unfortunately, are predicted to happen again because of the state of the road.

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