Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I am answering the question. Deputy Howlin asked me what a hub town generates. It generates that degree of investment across Departments. Likewise, regarding the railway link to Mallow, critical to its future economic development, it was announced in the Transport 21 initiative that the track will be modernised and that services will be more frequent. That will be of great significance to Mallow. The road network to Mallow has also improved dramatically in recent times. Adding all that up, including the IDA business park and its development, one has a very marketable commodity in Mallow. Its proximity to the gateway city of Cork adds to its overall attractiveness as a location for investment. That is evidenced by the growth of Mallow over the past few years and the numbers of people going to live there. There has been very significant economic activity in the town and it is time we acknowledged that.

We do not have a specific policy for every specific town in the country, nor would it be advisable to do so.

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