Seán Conlan (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I welcome Mr. D'Arcy to the meeting for this important discussion. This is an area of great interest to people living along the Border. They have been affected negatively by the lack of joined-up thinking between both sides with regard to the provision of health services, education, water, telecommunications, industrial development or the creation of jobs in the region. Much of the focus has been on Belfast and the larger locations. The development of prosperity along the peripheral Border regions needs a lot of work. I am interested in teasing out Mr. D'Arcy's views on the importance of local transport networks in the peripheral regions and their effect on the development of business and job opportunities.

A particular bugbear of mine is the lack of development in the local road structure between the counties on each side of the Border, between the towns of Armagh and Monaghan. I am sure it is the same between Donegal and Tyrone in the more rural areas compared with the Derry-Letterkenny side. This development of local roads has a part to play in the creation of growth. There is a lack of joined-up thinking between the road service in Northern Ireland and the local authorities in the Republic when it comes to the development of those local transport links.

This also affects the health policy. There have been some initiatives to develop co-operation between both health services such as cross-Border ambulance and emergency services. Many people living along the Border on the Republic side may go to a doctor in Armagh or in Fermanagh. When they get sick they may want to go to Craigavon hospital but the ambulance will not cross the Border so they will need to be transported by a family member. At a practical level we need some movement in this area to ensure these people are not inconvenienced in this way. This is a very important report which I look forward to reading in depth. I may revert to Mr. D'Arcy to tease out some points.