They are in Ballina, Tipperary, Cork, Wexford and Cavan. It is just fantastic. I do not say this to be patronising, but it gives me hope, warms me and motivates me because they are risk-takers outside their comfort zone in many cases, but they are committed, dedicated, passionate and driving each other on and challenging us to continue to do better. I do not come to this job in terms of what I do with a know-all approach; I come to listen and to engage. I was in Bray recently. I am going to Athlone tomorrow for the…

They know the answer to the question. There are 212 minutes tomorrow.

Hear, hear.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, who regrets he cannot be here. As the Deputy will be aware, the final report of the all-island strategic rail review was published in July of last year. The review's recommendations for County Donegal involve the development of a new rail line from Letterkenny to Derry, which connects to a new proposed rail line linking Derry to Portadown. The programme for Government commits to working…

I assure Deputy Ward that the Department, the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, and I are aware of the needs of Donegal, which I visited in July. It is not correct that the Government has not invested in transport in Donegal. I referenced the Local Link service. We can see the phenomenal investment and growth in that service. I fully acknowledge the Deputy's personal stories of people who have to travel. I met some of those people on my visit to Donegal during the summer. It is…

I do not want to get into a political back and forth with Deputy Ward because I respect where he is coming from. However, if we look at the Local Link service in Donegal and talk to the TCU manager there, Fionnuala O'Shea, we see the investment in the 966, 959, 957, 954, 952 and 953 routes. People are using Local Link. If the Government had turned its back on Donegal and was not investing in it, as the Deputy claimed, those routes would not be there. We are investing. I take his point that Donegal is the only count…

I thank Deputy O'Flynn for this very important question, and for his commitment to the people of Mallow. I look forward to working with him because we both share a desire to see the town of Mallow continue to flourish and develop. As he is aware, the National Transport Authority's Local Link and rural transport programme is, in the case of Cork, managed and administered in Cork by the Local Link offices in Bantry and Fermoy. Cork has seen considerable investment in regular rural bus services including the introduct…

I look forward to working further with the Deputy to alleviate the traffic gridlock.

I look forward to coming to visit Mallow. Deputy Colm Burke, who is sitting behind me, has also asked me to go there. I look forward to meeting with Deputy O'Flynn in Mallow. I visited Mallow recently.

Perhaps the Deputy was not there. There is an issue in the centre of Mallow and going from A to B. There is traffic gridlock going to the roundabout heading towards the Killarney Road, coming from Fermoy, which requires a lot of patience and persistence by motorists and cyclists alike. However, let us look at what the Government has done in the town of Mallow in terms of the frequency of the rail service, investing in light rail and public transport, including Leap cards and the station in Mallow. I take the Deputy…

Perhaps he can bring me to the particular spots where he thinks there should be bus stops as well.

The line Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I have €92 million more for roads this year and I hope we will have more next year in the budget. There is a real need for this funding. Deputy Colm Burke has a question on the Cork to Limerick motorway. We need that motorway. All of us who travel that road know that is the case from an economic point of view and from a safety point of view, and we want to see the motorway built. The sum of €700,000 has been allocated to the Ma…

I look forward to working with all Members. Deputy O'Flynn referred to other Members of the House. We should bring them on a journey.

I thank the Deputy for the question and his ongoing advocacy on the need for the N20-M20 Cork-Limerick motorway. He and I share an urgent need to have this road completed. I wish he and I were not in the House again discussing this. It is a project of gargantuan importance. As Members will know, it involves 80 km of refurbishment and, at its core, the project will address many of the road safety concerns on the existing N20. I also commend Councillor Liam Madden on his work on this project. In addition, the project…

I agree with Deputy Burke that, despite the challenges outlined, the growth necessitates that this road be expedited. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I in the Department of Transport, working with An Taoiseach and other members of Government, will do our damnedest to expedite the project delivery for this road. I fully concur with Deputy Burke. I travel that road regularly. The road was fine 50 years ago, but it is not any more for a variety of reasons, such as safety, co…

On the Ryder Cup, I congratulate the European team, including Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. Deputy Burke is right. We are committed to the Adare piece, but the Cork to Limerick part is equally important. I am confident that-----

I am not sure we will get there for the Ryder Cup, but it needs to be-----

Gabh mo leithscéal.

I thank Deputy Lawless for raising the importance of rail and bus connectivity in County Mayo. As Minister of State at the Department with responsibility for rural transport, I am delighted to say we have seen considerable investment in services throughout the country under the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan. In County Mayo especially, funding has gone up by 56% over the past two years. We saw a boost in passenger numbers by 72% between 2023 to 2024. As Deputy Lawless knows quite well, a great example of th…

Can the Deputy tell us which tractors?