Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise first of all to congratulate the Leader. I look forward to working with him over the coming years. Senator Ahearn raised the N24 which certainly has the same impact on Limerick as it has on Tipperary the whole way to Waterford. It is about connectivity and I too support his call to ask the Minister of Transport to come before us.

Equally, Senator Fitzpatrick raised the whole issue of people feeling safe in cities. I believe the Minister for Justice but it is also about the number of derelict and vacant buildings and people being on the street. It is about how to deal with the issues on the street such as people coming up to people and looking for things. It will be a combination of work by the Minister for enterprise on how to support and expand businesses to fill those vacant units, and by the Minister for Justice on how we can create a greater Garda presence on the street. Those are two things on which I would like the Leader's support.