Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

This week an inquiry is taking place into the construction of a new toll road between Ballinasloe and Galway city. Practically all the proposed new routes and those which have been constructed have involved some interference with an archaeological site. I support the motion. In this instance, I cannot understand why the NRA, through its consultants, does not carry out its ground work before proposing a new route.

The selection procedure followed by the NRA is extremely dubious. In most instances, it proposes to consult with the landowners and all other interested bodies as to which is the most appropriate route to be chosen. Invariably, however, the process results in the selection of the route initially proposed by the NRA as the preferred route. I believe that behind all this the interests of the developers of these roads are a priority and everything else fits into place in choosing the route.

In the case of this route, I cannot understand why the NRA and the consultants who designed the road, knowing what they know now, cannot move it slightly. I happened to see the records regarding the selection of a route in Galway. There were four options for the road. I attended public meetings in various places in support of or against a particular route. I saw a Minister of State claim to support the cause of those who wanted the route moved northwards. On the following night, however, he attended another meeting of bodies interested in having the route moved southwards. He indicated to all and sundry on one night that he had made representations to have it moved northwards and, on the next night, to have it moved southwards.

However, according to the file of the NRA he had issued a directive that the road take a particular route, which was neither of the two routes I mentioned. If that is what is happening, when the NRA is supposedly not responsible to anybody in the Houses except directly to the Minister, what or whose interests are the developers usually following? Something needs to be done about the finalisation of the process. Somebody must take this in hand and stop the rot we see at present.