It should be noted that the N25 Waterford city bypass scheme was also the subject of an environmental impact statement prepared pursuant to the Roads Act 1993, as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000. The EIS was approved by An Bord Pleanála, subject to modifications, last October. The proposed new bridge and the N25 bypass, of which it is a crucial part, are significant not only to Waterford city and county but also to Kilkenny, the south-east region as a whole and far beyond. It is an essential part of our national infrastructure. Senators will, therefore, appreciate the importance that attaches to safeguarding the bridge order by the passage of this Bill.