asked the Minister for Local Government if he has a plan available to the public indicating the proposed route of arterial roads within the County Kildare boundary; if a priority list has been complied; and if he will give the approximate earliest date on which development work will begin.

The actual planning of arterial road improvement schemes in their area is a matter for Kildare County Council in the first instance. I have no general plan of the council's proposals in this regard. The improvement to dual carriageway standard of the council's section of the Dublin-Naas Road, at present in progress, is being financed by special arterial road improvement grants from the Road Fund. The current work on the section north of Naas is expected to be substantially completed in this financial year and the question of the priorities to be observed in the further development of the arterial road improvement programme in the county is at present the subject of correspondence with the county council. It may be taken that this programme will be continued in the years ahead, under the arterial road grants scheme.

Is there any truth in the rumour that the Minister is envisaging an arterial connection with Donegal in preparation for the next general election?

Yes, that is quite possible.

He does not need to; there is a well-beaten track there.

With the emphasis on the "beaten".