Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do not doubt the Minister's commitment. What I am questioning is her ability to implement the commitments she makes. It is clear and evident that she is failing dismally. There are two regions with zero employment growth, namely, the Border region and the mid-west. These regions saw zero growth when we had a boom. The Minister's colleague, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, said Ireland was unbalanced. We must accept that comment, given that 45% of GDP is generated inside the M50. That is a clear indication that the country is grossly unbalanced. It will tip into the Irish Sea if it continues to develop around the capital and on the east coast. At the same time, there are large areas of the country where there has been zero growth in employment during a sustained period of growth nationally, which is an indictment. It is time we accepted that Government policy is not working. While the commitments are in place, their roll-out is having a negative impact because, unfortunately, the regional imbalance is very much to the fore in everyday life in many parts of the country.

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