Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

There is a strong focus on promoting the scale and critical mass at strategic regional locations — gateways and hubs — to lead and drive regional competitiveness. These strategic locations will in turn reach out to wider areas. In doing so, they will allow all areas of the country to grow to their potential. That has always been the approach of Fianna Fáil in government. We embrace all the people, not a selected elite.

I have put in place a comprehensive range of measures to advance the implementation of the national spatial strategy. There has been substantial progress on major NDP capital investment programmes supporting balanced regional development. In particular, I have maintained and increased the record level of investment in non-national roads, the arteries of local communities throughout the country.

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