Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)

It is great to have the Minister here. I will speak on a number of key areas in transport that would begin to address the great regional imbalance that is choking Ireland's potential. The regions outside Dublin must finally be given a fair share of investment and opportunity. The M20, the motorway between Limerick and Cork, is not a luxury; it is a necessity. This stretch of road, at present the N20, is not only outdated and dangerous but it is actively stifling the economic potential of the entire southern region. Towns such as Charleville are choked with congestion while dangerous bends and poor road conditions have resulted in far too many lives lost. The figures are stark. Every year, 118 accidents could be prevented and €12.4 million could be saved. This is the human and economic impact of inaction.

Beyond safety, the M20 is about regional transformation. A Cork to Limerick motorway is not only tarmac; it is the backbone of a twin city powerhouse that could support 300,000 new jobs in the region. This is how we reverse rural decline. It is how we attract foreign direct investment, empower local businesses and build balanced prosperity throughout Ireland. Yet, this vital project is progressing at a painfully slow pace. The proposal to toll the entire motorway undermines the project from the get-go. The Government needs to think seriously about the approach to the M20 project.

Let us turn to regional airports. Last summer's High Court stay on Dublin Airport's passenger cap was not just a legal event; it was a damning symbol of a broken aviation strategy. Why has Dublin Airport been allowed to reach the crisis point it has, while the airports in Knock, Shannon and Cork remain underutilised? A smart all-island aviation policy would redistribute traffic, support tourism, enhance national connectivity and relieve pressure on Dublin but this would require vision and a Government that sees the entire country and not only the east coast.

Let us speak about rail, the forgotten piece of our national transport puzzle. The western rail corridor from Galway to Sligo and beyond is not a pipe dream. It is a strategic asset and it is high time we treated it as such. Reopening the line as part of a wider Atlantic economic corridor would help to tackle regional imbalance, offer real climate action and unlock the true potential of the west and north west. However, all of these projects, and others such as MetroLink in Dublin, are seemingly forever out of reach due to the design, planning and construction timelines. Something has gone badly wrong with our delivery of infrastructure. The timelines are out of control, taking decades in some instances. The processes are broken and with every brand-new Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Government, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Sinn Féin is clear that we will back the M20 to completion, deliver a cohesive regional aviation strategy and fully restore the western rail corridor. Real regional development is not about one-off projects; it is about a connecting vision for Ireland's future.