As a native of County Clare I am aware of the importance that foreign direct investment is playing in the development of the west and mid-west regions. Such investment will continue to facilitate such development in the future. The thought of losing all or even part of that investment is extremely disturbing. However, it is not the only investment that would be under threat if we vote "No" to Nice. We need EU funding for the new roads and other items of infrastructure that are urgently needed, particularly in the west and specifically in County Clare. Without these improvements, how can we hope to attract additional multinational employers? Quite simply, we cannot hope to do so. If we vote "No" to Nice, why would the EU want to continue to provide this funding which we desperately need?