Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I was speaking at the forum about the general issue of rural and regional development. With regard to Shannon, my Department is represented on the interdepartmental committee. My point is that we have a problem and it must be dealt with. However, only to see problems and not see solutions and to highlight all the problems in a region does no favours for the region in terms of attracting inward investment for development.

There is a good example in Dublin of the power of positive thinking. There were, are and no doubt will be serious problems in the north docks area of Dublin city. However, when the concept of the IFSC was being sold, all the positives of the area were sold, not the negatives. We know what the IFSC has done for that area. This does not mean the Minister of State and I do not continue to engage in dealing with the social problems of that area, which are still real. Always highlighting the problems gives an excuse to those who might have been thinking of investing for not doing it.

When I was appointed Minister, I spoke to the Western Development Commission and to the people involved in Knock airport. We had an interesting discussion and decided that positivity was the way forward. I made the point that it would be ridiculous to have a "Go West Ireland" campaign, which covers County Clare, while at the same time always conveying the message that the west is a terrible place, with no facilities or advantages. The work of the Western Development Commission is testament to the power of positive thought.

The Deputy asked about my engagement with Shannon. The engagement of Galway and Knock airports with me is much greater, and always has been, than the engagement of Shannon. The amount of interaction those airports have created of their own volition is much greater. Ironically, when I arrived home from holidays this year, within 24 hours I was asked to meet the representatives of two airports in the west. One was Knock and the other was Galway airport. Representatives of Shannon Airport never sought to meet me. Perhaps that means something too.

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