Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

We were talking earlier of how important it is to "keep it country" and that has been the theme of this contribution. It comes from a country perspective, to ensure that we receive our fair share. It would, however, be churlish not to acknowledge that great strides have been made over the past ten years. Great credit is due to all those who devised the schemes which have helped to lift the people out of the mire they were in, which goes back to Famine times and that old psychological negativity which surrounded much of our childhood.

It is an extraordinary testament to modern Ireland that a town such as Ballymote, to which I so well remember going with my father for childhood meetings, does not have a derelict house. There are many such instances. I lend my support to the Minister and hope that he will continue to fight the good fight in providing and developing more resources for infrastructural development in the BMW region. The one issue that is now a major stumbling block to our continued development is the peripheral nature of many counties in the area. They are really suffering from a competition point of view and that is why a great deal of development is being sucked into the east. It is inevitable and people are settling there. They want to do so because they have Luas, public transport, new rail lines, ring roads and orbital motorways. There must be a balance and I have every confidence in the Minister, considering where he comes from and especially his background as a champion of the small farmer for so many years. I know that I am pushing an open door in this regard.