Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, and his officials to the House. I welcome also the opportunity to debate regional transport policy. Those of us from rural areas have continually made the point that there is a mindset that invariably confines the debate to the greater Dublin area.

From a national and a regional perspective, road transport is by far the most important mode of transport in Ireland and very important in terms of the areas furthest away from urban centres. Many improvements in roads projects have been made in recent years. When I was elected to this House two and a half years ago there were huge bottlenecks on the N8 and N7, particularly in the towns of Monasterevin and Kildare. It is now a pleasure to see the last 50 miles stretch from Port Laoise to Dublin and to bypass the bottlenecks of Monasterevin and Kildare. These bypasses are fine examples of infrastructure.

Much progress has been made in and around Cork in recent years. I have continually said the Jack Lynch tunnel is one of the finest examples of engineering in this part of Europe. It has reduced journey times and has improved road safety. Watergrasshill is now bypassed and gradually the links from Dublin south and Cork north will meet and eventually there will a motorway from Cork to Dublin. That is welcome in terms of shifting concentration from one centre to another and it makes for easier passage from the capital city to the real capital city. The Ballincollig bypass is an outstanding piece of infrastructure, built albeit under controversial circumstances in terms of those employed to build it.

I appeal to the Minister of State about a proposal submitted to the Department of Transport by the western committee of Cork County Council in June 2002. I am aware that Deputy Callely has very strong connections with west Cork and possibly knows the terrain there better than most. Cork County Council proposes to upgrade the R586, particularly the stretch between Enniskean and Bandon. It is an impediment to the infrastructural development of west Cork. In this day and age it is unacceptable that the speed limit restrictions on that road include a stretch where the speed limit is 80 km/h which is unrealistic. I am aware the local authority has discretion in this regard but it is worthwhile making the point that a number of newer limits have been introduced on that road. It has proved to be an impediment when it comes to finding replacement jobs for industries which were siphoned out of west Cork such as the Molynlycke facility in Dunmanway. This road has been consistently referred to as one of the reasons investment would not come into the region. This road is an important corridor for the Bantry-Castletownbere section of west Cork. Senator Dooley referred to being parochial but that is what regional transport policy is all about and we are required to raise these issues.

Significant sums of money were spent on the development of the Castletownbere road 15 years ago by the Department and the local authority assisted by European funding. This stretch of road on the eastern side of west Cork is hindering the development of the region. The proposal and costings are being considered by the Department. I am aware that road projects are expensive but this road project is important for the economic viability of that region. I know that Deputy Callely has as good an interest in this as anybody else.

At one stage the rail network reached into the heart of west Cork. A decision was taken in the early 1960s to close that line. The rail network is underutilised but until such time as there are decent alternatives to people using their cars, the uptake of public transport and rail will be somewhat less than is desirable. The underinvestment in the railways is an issue that needs to be examined. The carriages currently being used on the Kerry line could be called "bone-shakers". They have been in use for 25 years. They do not owe the State much money but it is an indication of the underinvestment in that sector. Unless the train service is of a professional standard and delivers a public service that is appealing to the public, there will not be a significant uptake.

The roads deficit in my constituency and the underinvestment in the rail network are the two points I wish to make. I reiterate my call to the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, to examine that section of the road. Perhaps on the next occasion when we meet on the first Friday in Bantry, we might have an unofficial discussion about it.