John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on the spatial strategy, the introduction of which I welcome. However, I agree with Senator Browne that it is a pity it did not come a little earlier. The delay in publishing the strategy until after the general election rather than, as promised, before it has led to even more cynicism among the public. I concur with what Senator Browne said about publishing the strategy after the national development plan. It would have been more logical to have the strategy first in order to put a framework in place for the spending of funds.

This is a worthy strategy document and 99% of its contents must meet with agreement. As a representative of the south-east, however, there are a number of areas about which I am concerned. On the Order of Business this morning, I raised the matter of the roll-out of broadband in the south-east. In that context, a very interesting paragraph in the spatial strategy, which states that broadband facilities should be available in all regions within three years, is of relevance. If this morning's newspaper report that the south-east is not to obtain broadband within that period, the strategy document is not correct. We were told that the Serpant programme, which was to be put in place by the south-east regional authority, has been put on hold indefinitely because of lack of funding. This despite continuous assurances by the Government before and after the election. Before the last election the Minister for Public Enterprise, who is now the Leader of the House, promised that the 19 broadband network programmes committed to would be carried out. I am disappointed by what is another cutback by stealth which flies in the face of what we have been presented with in the national spatial strategy.

Senator Browne referred to a number of issues that are of great importance to the south-east. Section 3.7 of the strategy concerns transport and one of the regions to which it refers is the south-east. Particular emphasis is placed on public transport and road infrastructure and it is quite clear that the national development plan, in respect of the new M9 from Waterford to Dublin, is running considerably behind schedule. On local radio last week, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government condemned objectors to the road in Kilkenny and said they were delaying the building of the road when it is clear the Government is at fault for squandering the money that should have paid for it.

It is not long since the House held a debate on rail transport. CIE is proposing that a number of railway lines in the south-east be closed, including the Rosslare-Dublin line and the Rosslare-Waterford-Limerick line. In the context of the spatial strategy, it is important that the interurban route between Dublin and Waterford and the internal regional routes be retained and upgraded rather than closed. If the spatial strategy is to be successful, which we all hope it will, the rail links that are in place should be maintained.