Seanad debates

Thursday, 5 December 2002

National Spatial Strategy: Statements.

 

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. While I am broadly in favour of the national spatial strategy which has finally been launched – three years after it was due – I have major reservations, both of a national nature and, more specifically, in relation to my county of Longford that has a rate base of only 7% compared to 55%-60% in the Dublin local authority areas. This proves that Longford and many other midlands towns such as Roscommon, Carrick-on-Shannon and Portlaoise are starved of industrial and infrastructural development and deserved hub status to give them a necessary boost. Once again, the Government has conceptualised and formulated an idea which, although fine in theory, will constitute a miracle if seen through to completion. Given the pitfalls which befell the national health strategy – it has been dashed against the rocks of far reaching cutbacks – I am not holding my breath in this regard.

The ideals of the national spatial strategy are admirable. It is a 20 year plan designed to achieve a better balance of social, economic, physical development and population growth between regions. It is supposedly designed to help every place in every part of the country – no matter what its size or population – reach its full potential. Admirable sentiments undoubtedly, nonetheless I question whether this is all they are.

We know that every area has not enjoyed the riches of the recent booming economy and the growth of the last ten years has led to some decidedly uneven development. Regions have rushed to cash in with little planning and used the only resources they could muster indigenously. This has led to the rich areas growing richer while the poorer ones are stifled by their lack of infrastructure, educational resources, housing and medical facilities.

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