Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I concur with Senator Murphy's comments on fuel. We seriously need to look at this. I have a small station and I got a delivery at 7.30 a.m. this morning. The price has increased by 5 cent a litre. It is only on an upward spiral. As Senator Murphy said we will be looking at a price of €2 by St. Patrick's Day. This is having a serious knock-on effect on the transport industry. I have been speaking to people in the bus industry in recent days. They have been severely hit by it. They are day-to-day consumers. We have to address this issue in some way.

I have raised the issue of the N4 on a number of occasions. The Deputy Leader is well aware of the section I am speaking about as she travels on it also. The lead local authority is Westmeath County Council with regard to the design office. Instructions have been given to the consultants that the funding is not there to continue with the project. Funding has not been provided by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. There are ten identified routes in play at present, particularly in County Longford. We need funding to be put in place to find a preferred route, to continue the consultation process and put the preferred route back out to consultation so we can have a final identified route. Let the people know where they stand. A serious amount of land is frozen. Family homes and farms cannot be built on. People do not know where they stand. This has to be a priority. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and TII must put the funding in place to allow for these projects. It is not just the N4. There are other projects in the south of the country. My priority is the N4. It is the most important project that should be funded.