The battle for votes in the expected marginal constituency of Sligo-Leitrim at the next general election is exemplified by a row over a seven-kilometre stretch of road. The National Roads Authority has indicated that the N4 stretch of road between Cloonmahon and Castlebaldwin in Co Sligo is not on its list of priority projects for the coming year.
This is despite claims by the Sligo county engineer that he had an "agreement" with the NRA that the road upgrading could proceed to route selection stage this year.
The political fallout from the NRA decision and the ongoing campaign to have the Mullingar to Sligo section of the N4 upgraded to dual carriageway standard led to a public meeting in Boyle last week. ail deputies, MEPs, declared election candidates, Chamber of Commerce representatives and local authority chairpersons from throughout the Midlands and North West Region.
With calls for the upgrading to be brought to the top of the political agenda, local Fianna Fail TDs produced a double whammy to silence those at the meeting.
Firstly, Sligo-Leitrim TD Matt Brennan announced to the meeting that he could guarantee that the Cloonamahon to Collooney stretch of road could proceed to route selection this year, despite the NRA list.
Then fellow constituency TD John Ellis said the Government was committed to upgrading the N4 from Mullingar to Sligo to dual carriageway status.
Amid accusations of stroke politics, the Fianna Fail TDs were quick to defend their stance. "My understanding is that the money for the Cloonmahon-Collooney road will be provided this year," Mr Ellis said. "You're not talking about enormous amounts of money to do this planning work, which is essential."
But the NRA is insisting the road is not on its priority list this year. A spokesman said as far as he was concerned, the position had not changed. But, he added, "money often moves around" with regard to NRA allocations.
Ms Marian Harkin, the declared Independent election candidate in Sligo-Leitrim, who attended the meeting in Boyle, doubts the assurances given on the night on upgrading the N4.
"My understanding is that there has been no Government confirmation of this upgrading. I would be more delighted than anybody to hear the present Government giving us a time frame for upgrading the road. I hope this is the case, and I wait eagerly to hear a formal announcement on it," she said. ail announcements, the organiser of the meeting, said he wasn't a cynic, but there was talk of an imminent election. "There are a number of reasons why the Government may have changed its mind on upgrading the N4. I would like to think that it was the validity of our arguments, which I personally feel were indisputable," said Mr Jim Lawlor, Sligo Chamber of Commerce president. "The IDA are having difficulties in attracting industry to this region, and Enterprise Ireland are supporting our case. there are a lot of arguments why the N4 should be upgraded."