John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

This is an important issue. While I welcome the report, its detail and vision, it is overdue. We are grappling with the problems created by success. Had we looked at them earlier, some of the major problems might not be quite so great.

It is evident from the number of groups and individuals catalogued in the index that many contributions were made to the document. The degree of expertise from local, regional and national level is striking and has had a positive influence on the final report.

We are not good at establishing priorities. That was evident this morning. We have an attitude that there must be one for everyone in the audience. Every town wants the IDA to put an industry in place. While that is understandable, this outlook must change, there must be a scale of priorities. This document sets out such a scale.

So far, we have concentrated on the economic aspects, but the document also deals with quality of life, something that has been overlooked in the debate. In our success we have sacrificed it. Quality of life has deteriorated. The document sets out the need to build a strong economic, social and environmental position.