Labour wants new government to deal with N.R.A.

Having a National Roads Authority announcing its road projects for 2007, in Claremorris recently, without any delivery for Mayo is wrong and will be changed under a new government. And, it shows, yet again, that our FF elected representatives have no clout at Cabinet level. Mayo will need the intervention of Mayo based cabinet ministers and government T.D.’s, in a new administration to change the way in which road monies are distributed nationally.l

The N.R.A., had a party in Claremorris but the people of Mayo weren’t invited. It distributed the goodies again to major motorway projects in the east and in the south of the country especially in key ministerial constituencies. Minister Cullen’s has had nearly every boreen upgraded to dual carriageway status in Waterford. The Minister has delivered to his constituents

“As ever, we here in this constituency were asked to wait. We were asked to wait until 2010 for a commencement of any application for funding for the N5 between Castlebar and Westport. We were asked to wait for more funding for the N26 and N59, sometime in the next decade. Meanwhile, one of our FF candidates feels free to sing “The Wests Awake,” on the Vincent Browne radio show. I feel he should now change the words to the official FF version of the song,- “The West will Wait”

This farce must come to an end. A new government with Mayo based Ministers and government T.D.’s will direct the N.R.A., to invest in our constituency to a level that will ensure that Mayo will no longer play second fiddle to other constituencies when it comes to roads. Mayo is suffering lost job opportunities because of poor road networks. Local businesses are suffering as they try to move goods around on inferior roads and our people are expected to accept this fate.

The N.R.A., has failed Mayo abysmally. I have called for the appointment of a minister of cabinet rank to be given the role of Minister of regional development and have had meetings with former Finance minister, Ruairi Quinn T.D in this regard. This Minister would have responsibility not only for ensuring that monies earmarked for disadvantaged areas were actually spent in these areas, but would also take responsibility for upgrading all road, rail, power and broadband networks to a level consistent with what prevails on the east coast. When this is achieved we can sing!

Ends: Harry Barrett…..087 9713268