I welcome the Government’s work to escalate infrastructure delivery. Ireland is experiencing strong population growth, a rise in economic activity and increasing demand for public services. These are positive developments but they place pressure on our transport, utilities and regional infrastructure. Therefore, we must ensure essential projects are delivered efficiently. I welcome the infrastructure plan introduced by the Minister, which will strengthen the planning process, improve procurement and support better co-ordination between agencies. The most important part is to have all the agencies working together. We want to reduce delays, increase certainty and allow vital projects to progress in a more streamlined way. Balanced regional development is essential. In my area, Carlow–Kilkenny, towns and villages must have adequate wastewater and utility capacity to support housing and growth locally. Last week, I highlighted here that towns such as Grange and Ardattin in County Carlow are still waiting on necessary wastewater infrastructure. Planning and funding decisions must be aligned so projects can move forward without delay. Transport infrastructure is also important. Investment in our roads, public transport and active travel improves journey times. We have done a lot on that but, as the Minister always says, safety and quality of life are a priority for us. We have really done a lot on that too but safety and quality of life, as the Minister always says, is a priority for us. I want to highlight the Carlow southern relief road, which is a project in the national development plan. It will remove through traffic from the town centre, reduce congestion, improve public transport and make travel safer for pedestrians and cyclists. I note the consultants are in place ahead of the further public engagement and I look forward to reviewing the route option and the project continuing as it progresses. I know I am always on to the Minister about this one. I also want to mention the N80. Since Brexit, it has become a major national route, carrying more than 4.2 million vehicles annually, including a significant volume of heavy goods traffic. However, it is no longer fit for purpose and if you look at the Carlow part of that, it saw 27 accidents last year alone, including several fatalities over recent years. We need to upgrade the N80 and to look at it as a motorway, creating a link from Rosslare to the M7 at Portlaoise. This would strengthen regional connectivity, improve safety and support Ireland's role as an EU gateway. Deputy McGuinness and I were in Kilkenny last week and we spoke with the chief executive there. These were projects that came up too. It was mentioned that the N24 Waterford to Cahir and N25 Waterford to Glenmore schemes were in the pipeline, both of which are at different stages. All of this infrastructure is vital. I know the Minister is committed to this and I thank him for all his work. These are all urgently needed.

Sentiment score: 0.33