Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is the very point I am making to the Deputy. The statutory independent review looks at one element of this only. It is not a binding finding. I have said that one could have the Shannon as the east-west divide; one could have Athlone as a municipal area supported by both counties; or one could do the reverse of what is currently being examined and put Athlone into County Roscommon. Roscommon lost part of its county 100 years ago over the Gaelic Athletic Association when people from Ballaghaderreen played for the red and green instead of Roscommon but that is a different matter, as the Deputy is well aware. What I want - whoever the people decide to elect - is to keep the benefits of a rising economy being invested throughout the country. Roscommon is a county that has suffered much in recent years. Many elements of that were due to a lack of decisiveness about what actually needed to be done in Roscommon in terms of the major pieces of infrastructure, road routes and so on. Monksland is a developed and thriving area in terms of investment and the creation of jobs. I agree with the Deputy that people would be very upset were it to be shifted administratively to another district. I am very much a supporter of developing the county of Roscommon as an entity. Why would I not be? That is my strong belief. This report is not binding; it is an administrative report and will have to be dealt with politically afterwards. I will answer the Deputy's question in the affirmative by saying that if I have anything to do with it, that is my belief.

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