I also raise the question of funding for the N24 Waterford to Cahir road. This was at an advanced stage of picking a route and the consultants that were engaged to do the work must clearly be disengaged. There are a number of people along those three corridors for the proposed route and they have been told their land will be frozen for another prolonged period, which is just not acceptable. Money has already been spent on surveys and consultancy to get the project to this stage. There is a serious question mark about whether, when funding recommences, we will have to go back to scratch and start again. A sum of €2 million would keep the consultants engaged for 2022 and it is not acceptable that the route for this road is not being proceeded with or finalised.

I have enormous sympathy for people who are affected by sterilisation with regard to road projects. Even if takes a long time for a road to be built, just going from five possible routes to one frees four tracts of land. If the road project is more advanced, narrowing a wide corridor a bit can free land on which people can build houses, farm buildings, etc. I very much appreciate the dilemma many people around the country face as a consequence of the announcement by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The Government is discussing that currently. Even if it takes a long time to build some of these roads or get them started, being able to desterilise or free people's land is really important. We will do that if we can.