Where Your Public Representatives Stand? |
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Report on the Dail Debate on the New Road Network |
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On Tuesday June 12 and Wednesday June 13 a private members motion was debated on in Dail Eireann. The text of the Amended Motion is as follows: "That Dáil Éireann commend[s] the Government’s proactive approach to accelerating the delivery of an up-graded national road network: Notes the comprehensive statutory public consultation procedures in place under the Roads Act, 1993, which are also being supplemented by extensive non-statutory consultations by road authorities; Affirms the importance of continuing a system of land acquisition for infrastructure which is fair and equitable and provides for appropriate compensation to all landowners and occupiers; Welcomes the implementation from 1 January 2001 of the provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, which will assist the speedier planning approval of critical infrastructure; Commends the National Roads Authority on its planning and management of a greatly expanded national roads programme; Emphasises the importance of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in harnessing necessary skills and finance to ensure the achievement of the Government's ambitious infrastructure targets; and Notes the Government's continued commitment to delivering top quality national and non-national roads."
69 TDs voted for the motion and 57 voted against it. Those TDs voting for the motion were agreeing with the Government when it claims that the NRA are providing good consultation, that CPO system is fair and that tolling of roads (under the PPP scheme) is necessary. A list of who voted for this motion is included at the end of this article. In particular, Liam Aylward and John McGuinness from Carlow/Kilkenny voted in support of the current system. All of the Fianna Fail party in the Dail at the time voted for the motion. Many of them, including John McGuinness, gave ambiguous speeches criticising some aspects of the current policy but when it came to time for action, they voted for a continuation of the current road building program that will destroy huge areas of rural Ireland. This issue is one of such importance that we need our elected representatives to do more than just talk. Many of our politicians have been trying to appease us with honey coated words but we must judge them by their actions. For example; there are two people in all of Carlow/Kilkenny who can stop the building of the proposed N9/N10 motorway and they are Liam Aylward and John McGuinness. They could threaten to bring down the current government unless the NRA implemented its own recommendations enunciated in the I998 Roads Needs Study. Their failure to do so is an indication of their actual position on this issue. It also tells us clearly what we can expect of them in the next Dail.
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