An Taoiseach Enda Kenny held one of his biannual meetings with the Mayo Industries Group a couple of weeks ago to discuss road access to the county.
The group represents many of the county's larger industries including Baxter, Allergan, Coca Cola, and Hollister and the Taoiseach has met them biannually since his election to Government.
The group expressed their appreciation to the Government for the recent funding announcement for the Ballaghaderreen bypass on the N5, the main artery for traffic into the west.
The Taoiseach said: “The matter of the N5/N26/N58 from Turlough to Bohola including a link to Foxford was also raised by the group, who indicated also that this priority infrastructure will require funding to enable a final route selection to be made in 2013.”
The question of the county's roads was then raised and discussed in the context of last year's stimulus package in respect of the Public Private Partnership (PPP ) Scheme and the Taoiseach expressed his hope that the scheme would be approved for 2013. “Particular reference was also made to the importance of the N5 from Turlough to Westport and it was indicated that funding as well as approval from the National Roads Authority would be required in that case,” the Taoiseach explained in a statement issued from his Department this week.
“The group expressed to me again the importance of good road infrastructure as a means of displaying competence, efficiency and professionalism in the delivery of Mayo's huge volume of high quality produce for international export. I thanked the group for bringing these matters to my attention and undertook to revert to them in due course.”
