As a politician from the west, in common with the Leas-Chathaoirleach, I am upset about the report's recommendations for the BMW region. This region was the key trump card in the Government's hand when we joined the EEC. It was the economic and social debilitation of the region that played a major part in Ireland qualifying for Objective One status in structural, cohesion and social funding from Brussels. Despite this, the vast bulk of EU spending went to Dublin and the east, with the paltry crumbs, by way of an occasional by-pass, sewerage or water scheme, coming west of the River Shannon and to the Border and midland regions. It was clear that facing into the last negotiations with Brussels, Ireland, collectively, would lose its Objective One status because the rest of the country had leapt far ahead and was on a par with the better-off areas of Europe. However, due to the outcry from the BMW region and the clear economic and social evidence from there, it was again awarded Objective One status. The legitimate expectation was that the region being the only one so categorised in the country would at last get the top-up of combined EU and Government investment that it obviously needs and merits. This was not so.