Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is lovely to see the Acting Leader. I wish to raise two issues. In Limerick, the Coonagh to Knockalisheen road is due to be opened before the summer. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, said recently that it is "unsustainable" and "uneconomic" for phase 2 of the project to proceed.We will now end up with half a road going to half the section. The part that is needed for the expansion of the University of Limerick and the National Technology Park was voted for by both Limerick and Clare councils. It is just not right that the road should suddenly come to a halt. The Minister for Transport said "Taking an alternative route on an unsustainable, uneconomic basis, without good transport planning in regard to the roads in County Clare would be the last thing we should do." Much work went into getting this road approved and it is disappointing to now find that it is going to come to a standstill.

Vitalograph is a company based in Ennis but it has announced that it will open a new headquarters in Limerick city and expand its business there, so I welcome it to Limerick city.

I agree with Senator Murphy on the issue of burning. I raised this with the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, yesterday morning and he and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine worked on it all day yesterday. I welcome this morning's announcement that the derogation will be lifted because farmers are so reliant on this. They will now be able to burn agricultural waste until the end of February.