John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On the planning law, I cannot directly refer to the issue Deputy Cairns has specifically raised. I would like to respond but suffice to say I wholeheartedly agree with the Deputy's points on the effect of Covid-19 on our towns and villages across the State, and with regard to the fear that exists in many of those places for the businesses on the main street or in the three or four streets that usually comprise the centre of market towns throughout the country. Some parts of Ireland survived the worst of the last recession better than others. Some towns in west Cork, in the Deputy's constituency, got through the last economic crisis much better than some parts of the constituency I share with Senator Murnane O'Connor.

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