Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I agree with the call for a debate on rural development. Major rationalisation is going on in the agriculture sector and the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has established good programmes, such as CLÁR and RAPID, and he is engaged with those programmes to address the problems we now see. He has visited the south east and many organisations there welcome his input in the area.

Will the Leader arrange a debate on the NRA roads programme under the national development plan? The south east and parts of the midlands are now the most disadvantaged areas in the State and the roads into those regions are poor. There must be an injection of funding because when the second river crossing in Waterford is completed there will be a major bottleneck on the N25 at New Ross and currently there are delays of up to 45 minutes. There is a need for funding in those areas. The south east was not named by the Minister as a priority area and it is up to those of us from there to make the argument and ensure we are not left further behind.

I support Senators Mansergh and O'Meara in their call for a debate on the report of the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights Sub-Committee on the Barron Report. The sub-committee gave comprehensive consideration to the issue and its report should be debated. The Dublin and Monaghan bombings were the most serious atrocity in the history of the State and it is interesting the report should issue the day prior to an announcement by the British Government of public inquiries into at least three of the four cases in Northern Ireland — the murders of Pat Finucane, Rosemary Nelson, Robert Hamill and Billy Wright. We should support the calls the committee has made so the families of the many victims of the worst atrocity on this island during the conflict can find some closure.