Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I concur with Senator Malcolm Byrne's comments and second his proposal for a meeting with the Minister for Transport on road projects from 2023 onwards. The specific issue I wish to raise is that of the N4. It was mentioned in the House last year when it was removed from the funding plans for 2022, which would have paid to find a preferred route and ended the situation of a significant number of landowners along a 52 km stretch who have had their lands and houses locked since 2006. It is important infrastructure for the midlands and north west, not just my local area of Longford. It affects Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. As a Government, we have prioritised balanced regional development, but we are not getting balanced regional development because we do not have proper access to our capital, ports and airports. The funding needs to be kept in place to ensure that the ongoing work brings the route to the planning permission stage so that, whenever significant capital funding is in place, the project can go ahead instead of returning to the beginning, as it did recently, which meant millions of euro had to be spent on redoing work. Let us bring the project to the planning permission stage. If it stalls there because of finance, so be it, but at least it could recommence when finance became available.

I wish to pass on my sympathies to the Kiernan family in Longford on the death of the former councillor, Victor Kiernan. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for attending his funeral. He was a lifelong supporter to all of us involved in politics in Longford, particularly those of us who ran for Fine Gael, from the blacksmith and general, Seán Mac Eoin, right up to myself. He served on Longford County Council for more than 20 years. Councillor Gerry Hagan stated that he was an ordinary and an extraordinary man. That summed up who Victor was. The Leas-Chathaoirleach knew him well.