Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask Fianna Fáil to tell us as soon as possible where it stands on Ireland West Airport Knock because the views expressed in that interview seem contrary to the success of the airport.

There are many good things in the national development plan, such as roads and a sewerage scheme and including the scheme in Belmullet that was referenced and which has been allocated €10 million. I was a member of Mayo County Council for many years and that scheme was only put on a programme after Irish Water was established. It is now well under way and overdue.

There has been much commentary on how the national planning framework and the national development plan, Project Ireland 2040, have been communicated in terms of people not liking the messaging and so on. To me, that is a good sign because such people have little of substance about which they can criticise the plan. Through communicating the details of the plan, we are giving our commitment to deliver upon it. The people will always hold politicians to account and that is a cornerstone of our democracy.