Further upgrades to the road network in Co Mayo and the rest of the Border Midlands and Western region must be made as a matter of urgency, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said.
Mr Kenny was speaking after he attended the opening of the new, 4.7km stretch of the N26 between Ballina and Carrowtrelia, by the Minister for Transport, Mr Cullen, yesterday.
While Mr Cullen promised further spending in the regions, Mr Kenny accused the Government of allowing development in the greater Dublin area "suck the resources" out of the National Development Plan provisions for the west.
Although the Fine Gael leader welcomed the opening of the new road he noted that the next phase of the link between Ballina and the N5 at Bohola was only at the preliminary design stage.
Mr Kenny said the National Roads Authority had resurfaced the road west of Strokestown which was an improvement but it had not resulted in a wider road and it was clear that "nothing like" the level of investment which was needed was being spent.
A Ballina Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman welcomed the road opening which she said had been the subject of a 20-year campaign by the chamber.
The opening of the road from Ballina to Carrowtrelia, is the first phase of a new N26 between Ballina and Bohola which will by-pass Swinford and Foxford and link Mayo's largest town with the N5. According to the NRA it will facilitate movement between Ballina and Castlebar which are designated hub towns under the National Spatial Strategy.
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