Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I support the call by Senator Cummins for the automation of all unmanned level crossings throughout the country. Last week the tragic death took place of Mr. P. J. McGowan of Straide, County Mayo, at an unmanned level crossing. I have previously called for the automation of these level crossings. The majority of them are in the west and Iarnród Éireann should bring them to automated standard, particularly when it is putting new trains on a line.

A number of the projects in Transport 21 will be behind schedule. I recently looked at a map on which the National Roads Authority has published its programme for 2008. There are no national primary routes or any works in the NRA programme planned for Counties Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Longford and most of Roscommon in 2008. This House should have an urgent debate on the Transport 21 programme which is falling far behind schedule. The counties I mentioned are in the BMW region and, as I have said on a number of occasions previously, the BMW region is not getting its fair share of the funding which was proposed a number of years ago. This country got €8 billion under the former Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, specifically for the poorer regions of the country but this is proof that they are not getting their fair share. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on this issue.