Fianna Fail is urging the Government to include the Slane bypass in County Meath in its capital expenditure programme.

It is believed the Govt is to launch the programme in July.

Senator Thomas Byrne said: "It was included in the previous Government's plans and funding was made available to let it go to An Bord Pleanala, which happened around the time of the last general election. When this Government came to office, mention of it was removed from the Government's capital plans. I have no doubt that this played a role in the An Bord Pleanála refusal for the project which is now more than three years ago.

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"If the Government is seen to be committed to the project, by including it in its capital plans for the next few years, it makes it very difficult for An Bord Peanála to refuse planning permission, all other things being equal. If the project is not included again, then a huge signal will be sent about Government disinterest.

"While a huge amount of work has been done by Meath County Council in relation to traffic management issues in preparation for another planning application, I'm concerned that the National Roads Authority have not given much consideration to the heritage issues which will inevitably arise again."

(CD/MH)