Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I pass on my sympathies to the O'Rourke family on the death of Mary O'Rourke. I pass them particularly to Aengus whom I know quite well through politics. I also pass on my sympathies to the Naughten family, especially Breda and the kids, to Dennis and the siblings of John who was a colleague I have known all through my political life. He was nothing but a gentleman throughout any dealings I have ever had with him and that is what everyone has said about him; he was a gentleman. I attended the selection convention in the Abbey Hotel a couple of weeks ago when he was successfully nominated and he was looking forward to the challenge and to representing Roscommon. Unfortunately, it was not to be. We pass on our sympathies to Breda and the family and may he rest in peace.

Over the past week in Longford, we lost Adie Farrell who served for Fine Gael on Longford County Council for 39 years. He followed in a family tradition, which was then followed by his son, Gerald, who took up the role in 2014. I pass on my sympathies to Gerald, Lorraine and the extended family. He was a powerhouse of Fine Gael politics in Longford and I just want to pass on our sympathies. I wish to comment on the NTA and a proposal I put in to it in conjunction with Local Link about putting bus transport in place. We have the community of Stonepark outside Longford town, which has approximately 300 residents. There is a massive local national school, GAA grounds and a number of housing estates. A fantastic community has been built there. However, to access the local bus that travels on that route, one has to go a mile away from the village to get the bus because we do not have a proper bus stop in the village. I contacted Local Link, and the NTA was out. I would like to see that pushed on. We want to get people to use public transport, but we need to make it accessible. It does not make sense to ask people to walk to a bus stop a mile outside the village. Up until recently, there was no footpath, but that has been installed. I would like to see that put in place for the residents of Stonepark.