Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the thrust of the national planning framework and the national development plan and what we are trying to do. The ESRI report hints that we are not really on track and are not achieving the balance that is so critically important. If we want a greater and bigger economy, and a bigger country in terms of the wealth that will underpin the society we are trying to serve, balanced regional development is critical. At the risk of being parochial, my vision is not necessarily for a bigger Limerick or mid west or a counterbalance to Dublin. It is for a better Ireland that can be served by creating that counterbalance. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, agrees with me. We are ideally located to be that counterbalance to Dublin. Public investment needs to align with that vision and we need data to underpin the decisions to achieve that vision.

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