I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter for the Adjournment debate.
I represent the constituency of Wicklow and east Carlow. There is a general perception that Wicklow is a wealthy county. While I appreciate that parts of it are fairly affluent there are parts that are not. It is similar to the Minister of State's former constituency. One has an image of Galway being vibrant with a university yet in south or east Galway there are areas that lag behind the rest of the county.
The population of west Wicklow and east Carlow is in the region of 14,000. The area is served by the N81, a road which was identified in the national development plan for an upgrade between Blessington and Tallaght. Approximately £2.5 million was available several years ago for initial work on this but the money is no longer there. We have a situation where a road was mentioned for improvement works in the national development plan, money was available but now there is no money in place.
Prior to the early 1970s an adult male in west Wicklow could not do his leaving certificate exam. There was a secondary school for girls in Baltinglass run by the Presentation sisters but right through Blessington, Dunlavin and Baltinglass there was no boys' secondary school that did a leaving certificate. Now, thanks to the vocational system, we have three schools, one in west Wicklow, one in Carlow at Hacketstown and one in Carnew.
The reason I tabled this motion was to ask the Minister to try to place some employment in this area? The N81 that comes to Dublin is chaotic in the mornings. It is a road of inferior quality but is one of the busiest roads coming into Dublin. It needs investment.
The national spatial strategy talks about the mid-east region which refers to Counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. Within that area it identifies two areas, north County Meath and south-west Wicklow, which are contrary to the general perception and economic development of the rest of the region. The Government should work in conjunction with local authorities and with the good staff it has in the area from Enterprise Ireland and the IDA who have brought employment to the county.
I ask the Minister of State to relay the message to the Minister, Deputy Harney, that we would like to see jobs created in west Wicklow, south Wicklow and east Carlow. This is a forgotten area. People from the west of Ireland, good luck to them, have come into the House on a continuous basis to talk about employment and how deprived people are west of the Shannon. However, there are some parts of my constituency that are equally if not more deprived.