Seanad debates
Thursday, 27 November 2003
Address by Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP.
Senator Browne stated he did not know I was on the transport committee. Again, it is very hard to engage the media and this is the biggest problem. The committee is aware of the priority routes for the trans-European networks programme. We have one major priority route, which extends from Belfast to Rosslare. Feeder routes are also a priority. The initial plan was to have a circuit of Ireland to feed into this and to cross Ireland. One of the routes that fulfilled all the criteria for investment was the road from Dublin to Sligo. I brought over a group, including two major spokespeople for different delegations, and made them drive from Dublin to Sligo. Along the way we met every chamber of commerce and county council and in Sligo we met representatives of every party to whom I suggested the establishment of a steering group headed by private sector individuals so it would not become a political football. If we could get the private sector to head it up, and achieve unity, we would have a very strong platform to begin feeding into a major priority route. The next stage is the rail link to Shannon. I also had an American consortium interested in developing Knock Airport and I was looking for the arteries needed for sustainable development. The media have covered this but it is very hard to get it across.
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