Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

That is as it should be. The cut and thrust of debates should be that way. I am old enough to span two generations in Cashel town. I remember when a bypass of Cashel was being discussed 30 years ago. There were public meetings to oppose the venture because it would affect the town's economy. The reason was that the economy in Cashel was not strong. There was not a huge number of vehicles travelling through the town. Now, however, because the economy is strong and there are more vehicles in Cashel, the town does not require extra traffic. After all those years of debate I have not met anybody who would go back to the way things were. That can be seen in many other areas. I can recall the debate about the Naas bypass years ago. People used to ask me how the town had fared and whether it had affected business. These debates must be seen in a certain context.

I also remember the debate about closer relationships with Northern Ireland. Invariably, one of the arguments put forward against interaction with the North was that our road system was so antiquated and the road system of Northern Ireland was so advanced that there was no way a certain section of the community would want to do business with us. However, people in Northern Ireland now talk about the wonderful improvement in the road network in the Republic.

I accept that the debate is not as balanced or general as it might be, given that a certain event is due to take place in the next few months, but when one talks to ordinary people who must drive long distances every day, one will generally hear them say that the roads are wonderful at present. That is the position. We must plan for the future, and that is what we are doing. This relates not just to the barrier-free tolling of the M50 but to many other issues that must be considered. I am glad the upgrading of the dual carriageways is being considered. Maybe it could not have been considered initially or there might be an opportunity to conduct a trial of it, but it is important that this should happen.

I am especially interested in the provision of services on the road network. When one is driving in Britain one can be sure of being able to get petrol, dining facilities and so forth. There are difficulties with our network which must be examined. This is particularly important for people who might not be familiar with a route. It is all right for those who travel a road daily, but people who are not familiar with routes need to know that services will be provided.

Over the years we have discussed what part of our road network should get priority. The Minister has made himself available to any delegation that wishes to meet him to put its case. It was not always that way. Often, the local community was not consulted about the things that were done. That created a difficulty because the community no longer felt ownership of its area. Often, communities felt that other powers, which did not necessarily consider their case, were working behind the scenes. Senator Mansergh has mentioned Tipperary and undoubtedly the same could be said about virtually every region.

I greatly support consultation with local communities. I believe that greater consultation takes place now. People have access to the Minister, the National Roads Authority, NRA, and so forth, and they have an opportunity to make their case. That is a major advance on years ago when one would sit at an urban or county council meeting and listen, month after month, as the same questions arose with no answers being provided. Local knowledge and information can play an important role. To refer to the Cashel bypass again, people had an opportunity to express their views on the possible routes that could be chosen. I hope that process will continue to be part of any development that takes place in future. Ultimately, the local community will have to be happy with and accept the changes that are made.

With regard to value for money, only two or three years ago, two of the main arguments being made were that projects were being completed late and over budget. I wish somebody would talk about the good news now, with projects being completed early and on budget. That is taking place throughout the country. It has become part of local folklore. I have heard it spoken about in Clare, Cashel and other parts of the country, yet it is not being highlighted. Full marks should be given to the Minister because, when a difficulty was identified, he took it on board, listened to expert and local advice, checked the market and now he is delivering projects on budget and ahead of schedule.

I do not travel regularly on the M50 but I have often used the route. I understand the frustration that has built up over the years. When the Government initially announced the steps it would take, there was delight. It probably is necessary to do a little nit-picking and play politics but, in fairness, it is also important to take the longer view. When we make a decision, we must consider whether there will be further challenges and opportunities.

There is much talk about the NRA and passing on accountability and responsibility to other agencies. It would be foolish not to do that. After all, this body is the repository of the most up-to-date information, technical advice, accountability and so forth. It has worked exceptionally well. I cannot see how it would have worked if we did not have an agency approach to the matter. The Oireachtas is responsible for the legislation, providing the finance and a monitoring role in it. However, I cannot imagine how we could possibly succeed in doing this without passing responsibility on to someone else.

I support the Bill, which is based on good news. It is responding to a challenge which is the product of our economic progress. I wish more Ministers would interact with the House as the Minister did today. It is vitally important in the dissemination of information. It is better to base our arguments on a real and genuine premise rather than a personal approach.