Seanad debates

Wednesday, 7 March 2007

Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage

 

3:00 pm

Photo of Martin ManserghMartin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I am not sure under what Standing Order injury time exists. I compliment Senator Ross on a statement worthy of Sir Boyle Roche, namely, that the Minister cannot bind his predecessors. Indeed, he cannot.

I welcome the Minister and the Bill and congratulate him on the implementation of Transport 21. We all accept that over 30 or 40 years, there have been many road and other transport plans which have not come to fruition. The difference is that this plan is happening and people are beginning to see this. The Minister is one of the most energetic Ministers with responsibility for transport we have had. Contrary to the received wisdom among commentators, I think he is one of the best Ministers in the Government and is delivering.

We hear about all the misery, such as the situation on the M50, to which I will return. What about the easing of travel taking place throughout the country, whether it is people travelling to the west on the M4 and N4, people travelling in my direction on the motorway to Portlaoise or people travelling down the east coast below Wicklow where improvements are steadily under way? Another example would be a person talking about his or her brother travelling up from Cork to meet him or her and all the bypasses that have been finished. The fact is there is a lot less misery now. I can remember many miserable nights where I spent 30 minutes going through Naas and then through Newbridge and so on, although that was a long time ago. There were bottlenecks which have been removed.

The same is true of public transport. There are more trains and there is more room on trains. Let us stop concentrating all the time on the misery and let us concentrate on what is being done. We do not need to be lectured by the Opposition parties. I obtained a copy of the 1997 election document of Fine Gael, Labour Party and Democratic Left, entitled Our Next Steps in Government — 21 Goals for the Next Century, which was one of the skinniest election platforms I can remember. It just talked about good management of traffic, which was the sole reference to transport. There is slightly more in a Fine Gael document which stated that investment would be prioritised in roads, sea ports and rail transport services.

We are always accused of breaking our promises. I have here the Fianna Fáil election manifesto for 1997, entitled People Before Politics. On the subject of national primary roads, it stated: "We will complete as soon as possible the Dublin ring road." It has been completed, but we are now into the second round of widening it. The manifesto also stated: "Our target will be to upgrade the Dublin road to the Border to continuous motorway standard by 2005." I acknowledge that there are still half a dozen kilometres right up to the motorway, but the road has been substantially completed and welcomed. The manifesto stated that Fianna Fáil would aim to provide a continuous motorway to Kinnegad for all routes to the west and north west and have a motorway standard road to Portlaoise completed by 2005. It stated that Fianna Fáil would complete the upgrading of the Naas dual carriageway. This is perhaps the one area where we did not fully achieve, pending the construction of a new motorway by 2005. The question is whether the Bill will enable the Naas dual carriageway to be upgraded to motorway standard. I see the Minister nodding, so, in a sense, that is the outlook. A lot of promises were fulfilled. Far from it being a waste of money, it has been an excellent investment. If there is any criticism to be made, it is that a lot more needs to be done.

I welcome the upgrading of what the Minister called HQDCs, high quality dual carriageways. I can think of a few examples. I could never understand why the Glanmire and Watergrasshill bypasses were not motorways from the outset. One would need a microscope to see the difference between a dual carriageway and a motorway. No doubt there are technicalities involved but they are beyond the ordinary motorist. It would be good to see some of the N11 dual carriageway which is, effectively, also a motorway. Why is the road beyond Kinnegad not considered a motorway? I do not think any motorist could understand this. One of our colleagues was caught speeding on the Cashel bypass and had to abjectly apologise a while back but, when the works are completed, that should be up to motorway standard.

I am astonished the editor of the business section of the Sunday Independent should be so naive to think if one got rid of the tolls all traffic would flow smoothly. One can bet one's bottom dollar that, first, one would attract more traffic onto the M50 because there would not be a toll——

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.