Some regions have not benefited as well as others from the enormous economic and social strides in recent years. If this is to change, policies must change and that is what the national spatial strategy is about. We need a range of integrated measures to support improved economic performance in the regions. Particularly to drive development in the regions, we need areas of sufficient scale and critical mass to attract significant investment and job opportunities. These areas will then offer attractive locations for investment in addition to Dublin. That is why the strategy proposals include a network of gateways.