Mr. Hugh Creegan:

The regional spatial strategy is required to be consistent with the transport strategy in the same way as the next version of the transport strategy will be required to be consistent with the regional, spatial and economic strategy. In our comments to the Minister on this we were not saying that the Navan rail line should not be built but that the transport strategy requires an appraisal and a decision and, therefore, to be consistent the regional spatial strategy should mirror that. The request was to enable the two to be consistent to mirror the language which was to require reappraisal and then make a decision. The regional spatial strategy was jumping ahead without the reappraisal.