Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, to the House and congratulate him on his appointment and the fine work he is doing. He is most committed to transport issues.

We are all agreed on the need for an adequate roads infrastructure. I agree with what Senator Mansergh said regarding taking a balanced approach. He advised that we should not take a cavalier approach to road development. I have had many arguments with the NRA through the years but I accept it is very concerned about the environment and the preservation of archaeological sites and features. Our amendment acknowledges this in stating this is evident in the discovery of so many previously unrecorded areas of historical and archaeological importance.

I support rail transport and agree with Senator Mansergh that we should preserve existing infrastructure. Contact with the NRA and the Minister is most important at a time when many new roads are being developed throughout the country. Oireachtas Members from County Galway meet the NRA at least once a year to discuss road development in the county. What is happening in County Galway is a very good example of what should be happening in other parts of the country where several options are given in regard to proposed road developments. For example, there were at least three or four options for the Loughrea bypass, which has now commenced, and the same is true of the Tuam bypass. Three options were also available for the proposed new road from Tuam to Galway city.

I referred to this road on the Order of Business and Senator O'Toole mentioned it in regard to the Estimates. I said it would take six months to develop a rail link but it might take six years to get a new road. I stand by that comment. That is the view of the lobby group, West on Track, and the inter-county committee composed of the five Connacht counties that strongly support a rail link. I look forward to an opportunity to discuss the development of rail, which would have the strong support of the Seanad. Senator Henry referred to this matter also in regard to road development.

The National Roads Authority is most stringent when it comes to the environment and archaeological remains. Some speakers referred to snails during the debate. The sea water baths in Ardrahan on the Gort to Oranmore road were to be protected and I hope this will be the case. There are a number of options for the development of this road and I hope there will not be any threat to the preservation of these baths.

When the former Deputy, Padraig Flynn, was Minister for the Environment he promoted the bypassing of towns such as Lucan and Kilcock and people in the west queried the value of spending so much money on the east coast. He made the point that it would also benefit people in the west to have such towns bypassed. I welcome the bypassing of towns and the development of roads in the western region that is now taking place.

In putting forward the transport package in the Estimates, the Minister stated it would benefit jobs in the regions, commuters and business, which is an important issue. He went on to say the Government is building roads because they protect and grow job opportunities and community life throughout the country. Over €1.3 billion will be invested in roads in 2005 alone. It is clear that the development of roads in conjunction with the NRA is important to the Government. I hope it will continue this policy in a careful way, not in a cavalier manner.

In speaking of the new road from Galway to Dublin, it was said that the shortest way from Galway to Athlone was through a great deal of bog, which is true. It would take up to half an hour off the journey time spent going through Loughrea and Ballinasloe. It could have been of benefit to people in north Galway but the belief is that one should build roads so that they would pass near major towns, in this case Athenry, Loughrea and Ballinasloe. We would not like to see short cuts being developed. One has to take the development of these towns into consideration because of the job opportunities that go with that, as the Minister stated in the context of the Book of Estimates.

Despite criticism I have made of the NRA, I believe it is taking into consideration issues of archaeology and the historical importance of sites and I hope this will continue to be the case. I also hope we can meet regularly with the NRA. The Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has had regular meetings with the NRA which I welcome. I listened to some of the debate at today's meeting of the committee. The Chairman referred to visiting the area under discussion. This would be an important mission for the committee as its members are not all familiar with the details of the area. It was proposed in the Estimates that money would be spent on this road next year. There is an opportunity for the committee to examine the situation and ensure it proceeds in a careful manner.