James Heffernan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Bradford for sharing time. As the Minister knows, I am from County Limerick and the city has had a very successful year being the capital of culture. It got off to a shaky start but things were ironed out. I ask the Department to support the 2020 bid for the European capital of culture. People in Limerick often feel forgotten about when it comes to the Government. The fact that the city and the estuary are not part of the Wild Atlantic Way stuck in many people's craws.

Limerick is seen as the forgotten county. Connectivity is vital for the region, as Senator Moloney will agree. Travelling from Dublin to Killarney can be a mission in terms of going through Limerick. I am not sure whether there is a proposal on the desk of the Minister because I have been in contact with people in Hungary who seem to have a solution for the N20 that could be delivered before an election.I would like to know if that is something the Department is considering because all the major arterial roads that come into the country from Waterford, Tipperary, Kerry and Cork are second class. They are not up to the same standard as services to Waterford, Kilkenny, Dublin, Galway or the other cities. That is something that must be developed. In my area, we are trying hard to develop tourism. There is the Ballyhoura Fáilte in my own area and there are hostels and self-catering cottages in Ballyorgan. We have one of the finest bike trails in Europe. We have Glenosheen and the walled town of Kilmallock, Glenstal Abbey in Murroe, de Valera's Bruree and Adare, of course, which is the jewel in Limerick's tourist crown. We need to attract people to the regions. The issues of connectivity and the road network are vital if we are to further develop tourism in the area. I would like the Minister to go some way towards addressing that. I thank the Acting Chairman for her indulgence.