Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

——might be mutually beneficial, if not of benefit to everybody in the region. As I do not come from Dublin, I am very conscious of the regions and understand some of the frustrations that exist regarding the dominance of the capital city. Having said that, we need a strong, thriving capital city in order for the rest of the country to benefit. In that context, a balance must be struck.

Regarding Deputy Upton's point on access, massive investment is being made in improving access to the regions, including in the five motorways that will be completed in two years. There has also been significant upscale investment by Iarnród Éireann in its rolling stock and in the rail track and there has been massive investment in bus transport, both public and private. While all the projects are not complete and there are still some difficulties, it is important to acknowledge that massive investment in recent years is already paying dividends. Within the next two to three years, we will literally transform accessibility into and out of Dublin, to the benefit of everybody in the country.

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