Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The terrible storms at the weekend affected a large number of people throughout the country. In County Leitrim, my county, there were a number of incidents of flooding and there was a landslide in one part of the county while in Sligo, people had to be evacuated from nursing homes. I welcome the suite of measures that has been put in place. I know the money will be spent on helping those people who were affected.

I welcome the signing of the contract today for another phase of the N16, a road I have mentioned on many occasions since becoming a Member of the House in 2011. Approximately €5 million has been spent on that stretch of road since 2011. The N16 from Sligo to Enniskillen is winding and dangerous. This phase will remove the bends from another three miles of the road and leave it much safer. I thank the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who met me, local councillors and council and engineering staff from Leitrim County Council three or four months ago, following which the funding was allocated. This is very good news for that part of the country. The signing of the contract takes place in the Rainbow ballroom, another place I have mentioned on several occasions, at 2.30 p.m. today.