Mr. Hubert Fitzpatrick:

I will make a further point about better co-ordinated forward planning. We are too short-term in our horizon. We need to look much farther ahead. The census population results published a few weeks ago show how outdated our current projections under the NPF are. We need to be looking ten, 15 or 20 years ahead because that will ultimately determine what key infrastructure is required from Uisce Éireann or ESB Networks. The planning timeframe for delivering such infrastructure is much longer than the short timeframe attached to any development plan. Our view is that a five-year development process is totally inadequate for long-term planning. We must adopt an optimistic view and be a development facilitator as opposed to a development regulator that restricts development. We are dealing with the entire economic growth of the country. If we do not have the services in place, we will not continue to attract foreign direct investment, FDI, or keep the engine of the economy moving. Longer-term planning that looks ahead over a 15-year period is much more appropriate.