John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have two brief supplementary points. Dr. McDonnell spoke about regional development. Being from the south east, this is a bugbear of mine. The south east continues to have the highest unemployment rates in the country and it annoys me. I am not laying a charge at Dr. McDonnell, but he mentioned developing regional hubs in the west. Is there any particular reason that at the height of the Celtic tiger when unemployment was so low, the south east lagged in terms of employment, household income and third level attendance? Basically, all the indicators were worse for the south-east region. Why is that the case?

How do we change the nature of the discussion? When we have debates in the Dáil and the Seanad, and at committees, even when I am talking to myself as I am now, people automatically think of the west. The south east does not get a mention even though, when one looks at the indicators, it has been the worst performing region for a considerable period.