Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the 1970s, far-sighted senior engineers in Roscommon, including the county manager at the time, saw a niche in the market in Monksland near Athlone. They sought funding from central Government at the time but were refused. With whatever money they had, they developed an area in which multinationals or local businesses are located. Some 1,000 jobs have been created in that area. A medical centre for south Roscommon has been built there. Given the review by the boundary committee, this is in danger of being taken away from the people of Roscommon who put blood, sweat and tears into it.

Currently, €1 million in rates is taken from that area. Local business people who decided to set up businesses in Roscommon because they were from Roscommon are wondering what is going on and are very reluctant to expand until they see a politician giving a clear message that this will not go ahead.

I ask the Taoiseach if the Government will stop the review taking place in this area. Some 30,000 submissions have been submitted in the past week or two weeks and, in fairness, some Fine Gael Deputies have said that what was is being attempted is lunacy. In the past few days, we have heard about bosses and so on but the Taoiseach is the leader of the country. Before he calls it a day, will he do the decent thing for the people of Roscommon and the Monksland and surrounding areas by stalling the review and making sure this does not go ahead?

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