I wish to raise with the Tánaiste a very urgent, serious problem that has erupted for the people of Bunane, Kenmare and on the west Cork side, Glengarriff and Bantry. A serious problem has arisen whereby Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, proposes to close the N71 Caha Pass tunnel between Cork and Kerry for ten weeks from 4 November. Everyone appreciates the work it proposes to carry out to stabilise part of the roof of the tunnel. That work needs to be done but the timing is wrong. We all know that the country was closed down for a very long time and we are disappointed that the work was not carried out then.

I attended a meeting organised by the Bunane Community Council at Stephen O'Sullivan's premises, Molly Gallivan's, as did many other public representatives. The meeting was also attended by a massive crowd of business people, farmers and concerned individuals from the Kenmare, Bunane, Glengarriff and Bantry areas of west Cork as well. It was pointed out clearly that business, tourism, agriculture and every other aspect of life have been closed down for almost a year and a half and that they hope to be busy for all the month of October and the early part of November. Molly Gallivan's already has 22 buses booked for October. It was also pointed out that 30 or more cruise liners came into Bantry Harbour last October and it is expected that they will return next month. The spin-off from them would help Bunane, Glengarriff and the Kenmare area if they could go back and forth through the tunnel. This is the only option for buses, as the only other way to connect Bantry and Kenmare is eastwards to Macroom in mid-Cork, which is more than 35 miles one way. The manager of Kenmare mart told the meeting, as did many farmers from the Bantry, Skibbereen and Goleen areas, that the main trading time for selling sheep and weanlings is October and early November. My ask on behalf of the local community is that the time for beginning the works should be pushed out towards the end of November and that the timeframe for the works to be completed would be reduced from ten weeks, as this is way too long. There are a few pinch points in the roof of the tunnel already, preventing coaches of the maximum height from getting through the tunnel.

I thank the Deputy.

These type of vehicles have never been able to get through this tunnel, as either the ceiling of the tunnel needs to be raised in a few places or the floor must be lowered.

Deputy Healy-Rae should conclude.

The height needed is 3.8 m, but the present signage indicates a maximum height of 3.5 m.

Deputy Healy-Rae will get a chance to come back.

I know this is an important issue locally in Kenmare, Glengarriff, Bantry and in other parts of south Kerry and west Cork. My colleague, Deputy Griffin, is on the case as well. As the Deputy will appreciate, I do not have any control over the timing of the works on the tunnel, as it does not fall under my remit, but I understand the case being made to defer the works for a few weeks. I am not sure whether that is possible, but I understand why people are calling for that. It is ultimately a matter for TII and the local authority, but I appreciate the importance of this and the fact that the Deputy raised it here today.

It makes common sense to not start the works until the end of November. The men working on the tunnel will be inside the tunnel so the weather will not matter to them.

The other issue is that now that the tunnel is going to be closed at that time, the works that should have been done many years ago to raise the roof from 3.5 m in a few places to 3.8 m. must be done urgently. Deputy Griffin is interrupting me and hurting the people of south Kerry and west Cork while I am speaking to the Tánaiste for the few minutes that I have. That is fine, but if he had told the Tánaiste the story, he would not need to be talking to him now. What I am asking now of the Tánaiste and Minister for Transport is to not start the works until the end of November and most certainly to raise the roof of the tunnel to make it passable for every type of vehicle going from one county to the other. TII must not leave the tunnel in the state it has been in for hundreds of years.

I thank Deputy Healy-Rae.

We have machinery now to cut rock and to do the necessary works, and now is the time to do it-----

We are over time.

-----but I am asking TII not to start the works until the end of November.

I am asking the Deputy to comply with time limits.

I hear what the Deputy is saying and I understand the case he is making on behalf of his constituents. Just before this, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, was here for transport questions. Unfortunately, he is not here now so I cannot refer this to him, but Deputy Griffin and I will speak to him later in the day and make contact with TII and see if it is possible. There may be very good reasons as to why they cannot defer the works, but I do not know that as I am not across the project and I am not a tunnel or road engineer. I appreciate the fact that the Deputy has used his slot here to raise this issue. Therefore, it must be very important to him and his constituents. We will endeavour to make contact with the Minister for Transport to see if his suggestion can be followed.

Councillor Johnny Healy-Rae has tried so many times and there were appeals but I appeal to the Tánaiste to sort it out now.