Meath County Council has officially started constructing the new €5 million Ratoath outer relief road. The new road will serve as essential transportation infrastructure in the area and will also aid in opening up zoned lands for future development. Once constructed the road will facilitate urgently required housing development. It will include junctions, footpaths, cycle tracks, public lighting, service duct provision, water and waste water services, boundary treatment, accommodation works and landscaping. Minister Regina Doherty stated that the project “demonstrates clear delivery of the government’s objective on housing. There are no easy solutions but putting in place enabling infrastructure such as this is key. Not only will it realise a dividend in terms of future housing supply locally, it will also provide benefits for the wider community”. Cllr Maria Murphy, cathaoirleach of Ratoath Municipal District, added that significant construction has already happened in the area "with the first phase of 131 houses due to be completed by the end of 2019 and the planning process is under way for an additional 200 houses in subsequent phases”.