Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I wonder about the capacity of a centralised government to do anything right. I do not wish to politicise this matter too much by referring to the Government. Senator Brian Hayes referred to one issue and Senator O'Toole referred to another.

I wish to refer to a small matter. The magnificent new Fermoy bypass was recently opened. A little bit of fuss was created when some people said they would not pay the toll. Over the weekend I discovered that a major semi-State organisation, namely An Post, had instructed its drivers not to use the bypass. They were told to go through the villages of Watergrasshill, Rathcormac and Fermoy town with their huge, big juggernauts that haul mail from Dublin to Cork and further afield. They were told not to pay the €4.60 toll because An Post regarded it as too dear.

I wonder whether those in Government talk to each other. I would have thought it was the function of any public body to implement public policy. I understand public policy is in favour of tolling and if that is the case then at least public bodies like An Post should pay the tolls and not persecute the misfortunate people of Watergrasshill who have not had a truck through their village in about two and a half years but because of this cock-up and others are now being turned into a rat-run for heavy goods vehicles and loads of cars every morning and evening. I do not understand why this should happen. I call for a debate about——