The N24 upgrade from Cahir, at the Cloghabreedy junction, through County Kilkenny and on to Waterford city is at design stage and now it is at stage 2. Engagement is taking place with householders and farmers along the route. There is a proposal that up to seven houses and family homes may be demolished. The road is very badly needed but there is now confusion and no clarity from the Department or TII. It is supposed to be a single carriageway route. It just beggars belief that in this day and age in 2024, they would design, go to all this fuss, upset all the landowners and householders with debates and consultants and so on, and contemplate building a single carriageway road. We must engage in forward planning and have a decent motorway or dual carriageway, above all with a safety barrier in the middle. We have seen the slaughter on our roads. Other groups have said there will be more slaughter unless we get these roads developed. The Green Party is wagging the tail again here by having a mix of the old road and a new single carriageway. It is a waste of money and a backward step.

I will have to seek an update from TII on this. I do not have the details to hand. We are continuing a considerable investment in our roads. The focus, of course, is on maintaining and strengthening existing roads, on safety, on international commitments, and on bypasses of towns in particular.