Mr. Michael D'Arcy:

I will mention the history. The first motorway on the island was built in 1968. It went from Belfast into the area of south Tyrone. In effect, it connected the Belfast economy, which had always been the most vibrant, into south Tyrone. That area almost became an island. Eastern Northern Ireland, in particular, was dominated by older businesses. Larger firms, traditional foreign direct investment, FDI, etc., all went there. There were local engineering and family-run businesses in that area, with the old Ulster engineering tradition, because they had that connectivity as a consequence of the motorway in a way. When we talk about public transport, we forget the movement of goods also needs high-class roads and that kind of capacity, and that evolved.

One thing that is missing in respect of Northern Ireland is doing a proper, comparative study of its own regional development, within the totality of Northern Ireland, and how each of those different regions has fared over time. Newry is a significant example of a place within the North that has benefited enormously, along with Strabane, post the Good Friday Agreement, compared with where it was previously.

County Tyrone has always been an interesting stand-out, as the Deputy said. There has also been a certain amount of spillover into County Monaghan as regards the agrifood business that is less publicised by people from counties Monaghan and Cavan for some reason I do not quite understand.