Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for that response. As he identified, it is not just the centre that is very important; there must also be high-density development around multiple nodes. I accept Cork has potential for it too, but in Limerick the potential is very significant. There is a kind of cart-before-the-horse element to the transport strategy where it says we will provide for these stations but we will only build them if the area is developed. There should probably be a more proactive approach from the State to say we will develop these areas and put in the stations in tandem with the development. It is good that the provision is there but it needs a little more from the Government to make sure the development occurs in places like Colbert as a centre, but certainly Moyross, Ballysimon, Raheen and Dooradoyle. There is lots of land for development and lots of infrastructure. We do not have the same problems that Cork or Dublin have. It is a national planning framework, NPF, target to increase the population by about 50% in the next 17 or 18 years.