Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The annual report will be laid before both Houses. I will convey Senator Kitt's views to my colleagues, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, and the Minister of State, Deputy McDaid, concerning the Sligo-Limerick proposal. In order to familiarise himself with that issue, the Minister spent a day examining the Killarney-Claremorris proposal, which incorporates Tuam, Athenry and Galway. Overall, however, the Galway-Limerick route is a matter to which the Minister will respond.

It is worth reiterating my comments about the BMW region. Senator Bannon is a rural Senator for whom I have great respect, as I do for all his colleagues in the west. However, when my party in the last Government wanted to regionalise the country we did so, but for some particular reason no support was forthcoming at that time from Fine Gael.