SEAL OF APPROVAL Michael Ring, TD, receives his Seal of Office, as the new Minister for Community and Rural Affairs, from President Michael D Higgins, as new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, TD, watches on in Áras an Uachtaráin last Thursday. Pic: Maxwells
Westport TD to push for progress on N5 road
Edwin McGreal
The new Minister for Community and Rural Affairs Michael Ring said his promotion will give Mayo a strong voice in Government.
Minister Ring was appointed to the position last Wednesday by new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. After Enda Kenny’s departure from the Taoiseach’s office, it means Mayo retain a presence at Cabinet.
“All I can say is of course it is a benefit to Mayo to have somebody at the cabinet table and I am glad to be there,” he told The Mayo News.
One Mayo project Minister Ring spoke particularly about is ensuring the new N5 Westport to Turlough road proceeds from CPO stage to construction stage. “I’ve been working on that now for the last six years and done a lot of work on it ... Even if we got money tomorrow morning they couldn’t start it. It has to go to tender and I need to make sure now that continues. When we (Fine Gael) left Government in 1994 that was ready to go off and it didn’t happen. I don’t want to see that happening, I want to see that project up and running as quick as possible and I will be doing everything in my power to make sure it happens.”
MORE
Ring's new engagement
