Cyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House as well as the opportunity to debate this issue. We have had numerous presentations and discussions on this issue before the Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government. I agree with Senator O'Toole that this is as much an issue for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as it is for the Department of Transport.

It is worth examining what we are doing here. For many years we did not have the resources to develop our road infrastructure. We were caught in a catch-22, whereby there was no development and therefore no progress. We felt that the only way we could attract major indigenous companies and those from abroad was to provide a top class road network throughout the country and link the main cities. The benefit of this was not just to the cities but for every town and village adjacent to these routes and the results are there for us all to see. The improvement in our main access routes — north, south, east and west — has provided opportunities to develop major high-yield, value-added industries throughout the country. The proposed spatial strategy enhances the progress made to date.

My own experience of road developments is the M1 motorway to the North. No one can state that development has not improved conditions for everyone, not just for motorists but for business people too. There has been a massive increase in the number of cars, trucks and vans coming from north of the Border. It has improved conditions for people living along the route too and has made a huge difference to the lives of people living in Drogheda. We all remember the controversy surrounding the M1- there were swans in the estuary and ferns to be conserved. However, these issues were handled sensitively in an environmentally sustainable manner and I am glad to report to the House that the swan population on the estuary has doubled since the motorway opened. That is just one of the benefits. It was a PPP project and, in fairness to all concerned, every measure was taken to minimise interference with the environment.

I congratulate the developers on the spectacular bridge across the Boyne just past Drogheda, which has now become an attraction. Again, significant controversy surrounded the project at the time. It was handled properly. There was extensive consultation with all concerned parties and the result was a state of the art major road network running from the North to the South. It has improved life for all concerned.

There have been other examples over the years of developments not taking account of the environment. It is not so long ago that archaeology was not even considered when developments were proposed. I shudder to think of the amount of archaeological information and substance which has gone missing over the years purely because the structures did not exist to protect them. It is only relatively recently that legislation and regulations have been introduced in this area. Thankfully, significant strides have been made in the precautions and measures which are taken now to investigate and preserve any items or sites which are of archaeological or historical importance.

The Carrickmines development was mentioned. It is relevant to this debate because that situation shows that when something goes wrong, it goes badly wrong. It was a proposed two year project but it took seven years. A total of 130 archaeologists were required, the cost of archaeological investigations was more than €6 million and, in the end, 90% of the site was preserved.

We must be realistic, particularly about Tara-Skryne. The Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government has heard a number of interesting presentations but the decisions surrounding this route have not been taken overnight. There have been three years of discussion, consultations and environmental impact statements. The An Bord Pleanála oral hearings, which took 28 days, were the longest ever for a development such as this. Every factor has been taken into account.

The new Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government has suggested that the committee members visit the site and speak to the concerned parties. I welcome that proposal. It will give us an opportunity to see what is happening there and to talk to all involved.