John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I too support the call for a debate on transport, and call for a Luas connection from Abbey Street to St. Stephen's Green. I am also conscious that our third city, Belfast, does not have a direct rail link to Cork, our second city. That is a glaring anomaly. I also welcome developments such as the opening of the Midleton line and the proposed Shannon link. Development also follows the rail link. I note that in the Cork development plan, the new developments will take place along the rail line. The place chosen was Monard, which is north of Cork, because the rail line was already there. Would it make sense if we are looking at a spatial plan, which we are, and the projected population increase in this country over the next few years, to put the rail line in places which need to be developed?