Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Media reports over Christmas indicated that the Minister's replacement for the national spatial strategy will centre on cities as growth areas. That would not accommodate many regions, for example, the midlands and north west. In recognising the strategy's potential, the Mahon tribunal wanted it placed on a statutory basis. There is a review of the capital development plan, but surely it should not be undertaken in isolation when we do not have a commitment on the national spatial strategy or its successor? They should be undertaken in tandem so as to ensure that those regions are central to a new capital development plan.

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