Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank witnesses for their presentations. The witnesses might write these questions down because I generally tend to pose quick-fire questions to people. Mr. Paddy McGuinness has left but what the witness said was totally contrary to what his views were, in that there was not balanced growth. Has something changed overnight? Does WDC own Dillon House? Is it rented? If it is rented, how much is the annual rent? As regards creating jobs and moving forward, how much has WDC encouraged the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to bring in the west of Ireland into the Trans-European Transport Network, TEN-T, initiative? As regards funding, how much co-operation is involved with the North West Regional Assembly. Do the organisations tic-tac?

Mr. Brannigan spoke about broadband, gas networks and such matters. Is he happy with the level of broadband in the west of Ireland, especially in the rural areas, on which he touched? I know some towns have good broadband. I refer to businesses being set up and the opportunity to avail of gas. It may be coming to Longford but there are some towns in the west of Ireland which are crying out for it.

When one wants top create jobs, one needs an infrastructure in the line of Knock airport. Should there be a tax free zone there? How much lobbying has WDC done in this regard? The witnesses talked about the 2040 plan and the development of regions. In the same plan, there is talk about creating jobs and so on. We have to be honest and say that if we do not have a proper road network from Mullingar to Castlebar and from Letterkenny to the fine Tuam-Galway road which goes on to Limerick and which would link up with the Cork to Mallow road, which the Taoiseach announced would be done, we will be up against it.

The population in west Mayo, north-west Mayo and north-west Donegal has declined. On the agricultural side, what is WDC focusing in on in terms of trying to protect family farms or derive business from them?