Minister for Transport Martin Cullen was in Westmeath yesterday for the opening of an extension of the new N6 to Kilbeggan, and the N52 Mullingar to Belvedere road improvement scheme.
Described as a 28km section of the N6, the Kinnegad-Kilbeggan dual carriageway has in fact been open between Kinnegad and Tyrrellspass since last December.
The final 10km section will now allow motorists to travel on motorway or dual carriageway from Dublin to Kilbeggan.
Work is continuing on a further stretch between Kilbeggan and Athlone, scheduled to open next year.
The new 4.2km Mullingar to Belvedere road improvement scheme will remove non-essential through traffic from Mullingar town centre. It is a single carriageway national secondary road with one overbridge, at Tullanisky.
"This road improvement coupled with the opening of the N4 McNeads Bridge, the M4 Kinnegad/Enfield Bypass, N4 Edgeworthstown Bypass and the N52 Mullingar Bypass will make Mullingar a very accessible place from all directions," said Mr Cullen.
The remains of a previously unknown ecclesiastical site were uncovered at Ballykilmore.
It enclosed the wall foundations of a stone-built church and more than 800 intact burial sites.
