Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As said yesterday at our meeting in Ballymahon, I thank the Minister and his colleagues for meeting the people affected by these closures. That was important as the economic lifeline is gone. It is important that the urgent message coming from all Members, irrespective of the county from which they come, is listened to and adhered to. The reality is that with this economic lifeline gone, we need assistance and extra economic activity. That can only be brought around by the county councils and the local enterprise offices working together. There must be an absolute commitment that we put balanced regional development into practice.

Will the Minister address the issue of the dismantling of the power stations? I am totally opposed to it. It may be a planning issue but somehow we should be able get around it. It would be absolutely outrageous to dismantle those power stations, whether it is from a tourism perspective or otherwise. Maybe we could get gas into a plant like Lanesboro. They should not be dismantled. Will the Minister put a stay on that if he can?

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