I want to raise the matter of the N2 Clontibret to the Border road project and the concerns of Monaghan County Council around it. It has now become clear that the level of funding available within the first half of the national development plan is not sufficient to progress this important infrastructural project through planning and design. As the Minister is aware, it is part of the same project, which is the Ardee to Castleblayney road scheme. It does not make any sense that the two are divided up and that they have been split into two different projects. It makes no sense that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, would not treat them as one project. Ultimately, it is about safety. In my mind, the two should be done in parallel, together. Can the Minister give us clarity around this? Members are seeking a meeting with the Minister around this. I would very much appreciate if he would facilitate that.

I am familiar with the road and with the project. From my understanding, we had a meeting last week with some Deputies from different parts of the country, in the south east and in the midlands regarding the N24 and the N4. There were similar circumstances. The project did not have immediate additional funding to go to the next stage in the planning process. There is a difference with the N2. As I understand it, it had an original preferred route. Then there was a further revised route. It is not the case that there is frozen land and of looking at a variety of different road options. This makes it slightly different from those examples. There is an underlying issue. We have a €35 billion budget for transport in the NDP, but we have €70 billion in projects. That was before construction inflation kicked in in the last year. It will therefore not be possible for us in this decade to progress all the projects which are in the planning system or which are even within the NDP. I will continue to liaise with the Deputies and with the TII about what might be possible. Nothing has been ruled out, but we have a limited budget. We have to prioritise for bypasses and for bringing town centre first life back into town centres. I know the Deputy will also support that.