Transport Minister Visiting Clare For Official Opening Of Banner Plaza

Well, first of all, it is a very positive day for the McDonald family, but also for the

community in the wider region around Dora and around the exit of the M.A.C. in motorway.

It's been, I suppose, promised for some time.

There's a very considerable amount of employment generated by this new enterprise because there's

a very significant amount of traffic that just bypasses NS every day between Galway and

Nimric people coming from Carc and onwards into the west of Ireland and to have a facility

now close to the motorway, it will improve economic activity in the area, it's providing

jobs and it's a positive story.

But of course, it's a motorway stop, it's a filling station and there is a very considerable

crisis in the cast of fuel at the minute and that's something that Minister O'Brien will

be well aware of.

I've already spoken with those particularly in the farming sector who haven't benefited

from the recent reduction because of the way exercise is not levied on farm fuel or on green

diesel.

So there's real pressures in the economy as well as it said, it's a positive story.

There are other elements that have to be addressed by government and as a sort of identified

one there.

And yes, of course, we need to get continued investment into the county for roads and

that's the same in every county.

But we are fighting that the Iraqis team in Claire made up of Deputy Crow, Deputy Coney

and Deputy Dana from Sinn Fein all work well together in putting forward the best case

on behalf of the constituents in Claire and that continues even with Minister O'Brien

and the county tomorrow.

And as well to me, a comment that Minister O'Brien made recently when he was questioned

about the progress of the Shannon rail link was that he saw it as a longer term project.

And it would have been included in the all island strategic rail review for 2030.

Claire people want to see that much sooner, especially when we see all the talk and all

the plans that are going into a metro link for Dublin and we're hearing about imbalance

regional development when the transform minister is saying that that's a longer term project.

That has to be a little concerning.

No, it's not to be honest with you, it is a longer term project.

What Shannon Airport needs is continued growth of aircraft access.

So we need more flights to more locations and the funding supports that have been put

in place is assisting the management of Shannon in being competitive and being able to

market to airlines to open up new routes.

And the recent inclusion of Shannon in the regional investment program is very welcome.

And you know, there is considerable very good road access to the airport.

There's good public transport access to the airport through the boss network.

So of course, longer term as the region grows and traffic becomes more of a problem rail

links into the airport will be welcome as continued development.

But what we need right now is more air routes bringing more passengers to the region from

a tourism perspective and also for critical business links that will continue the growth

of our economic activity in Shannon, the wider Midwest region.

We need continued support from the government in terms of improving our wider road network

outside of the main routes so that people who live and work in the more regional parts

of county care also have access to a good road network and that it shouldn't be just concentrated

on the EMA team are in the ring roads around in us.