'I see no bulldozers. . .and I still have to wait for a cow to cross the road in Loughrea."
Frustrated words from another critic of the perceived delay in implementing the National Development Plan (NDP) in the west - this time, the outgoing president of Galway Chamber of Commerce, Mr Joe Greaney.
Stressing that he is a farmer himself and has no problems with animals traversing routes that were originally designed for them, Mr Greaney says he is fed up listening to the "IFA and the NRA" (National Roads Authority), without seeing any evidence of men at work.
"I would be worried that the NDP will be over and we will be back to inflationary times," he said, speaking after a hard-hitting address to his chamber members last week in Galway.
"I do see infrastructural projects taking place elsewhere, but the only activity I see on this side of the country is a bypass in the Shannon area." Were he to come across a "scrape in the land" in other areas, he would be "encouraged", he says. "But I don't see it here. We have a burgeoning information technology sector, but where is the broadband? As for national spatial development, what does that mean?"
He believes there is a cast-iron case for developing the western corridor, including the rail network proposed by the county development boards. "That would represent great value for money, if it just got the political support.
"Currently we have an awful road to Sligo, and the IDA cannot sell the area because of lack of infrastructure. A western corridor of road, rail and associated developments at harbours and in energy, including Government support for an improved electricity service and gas pipeline, would transform the area. And it is up to the public sector to develop it. The private sector can then grow on the back of that."
He firmly believes in the role of the National Roads Authority, but says it also has to "make a decision and move".
However, opponents of the plan for a new Galway city outer bypass take a different view.
The Hands Across the Corrib campaign collected 7,000 signatures for its campaign against a fifth bridge across the river. The group is also calling for a more sensible public transport response to Galway's traffic needs, which will avoid carving up the Gaeltacht village of Menlo as part of the bypass plan.
However, in spite of its campaign and the submission of 24 objections to Galway Corporation, city councillors voted to vary their own development plan last week to allow for construction of the new motorway.