Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Leyden for sharing time with me. What concerns me is that the plan is drawing to a close and will be finished in approximately a year's time. I was surprised to learn from the Minister today that no decision has been made by the Government to have another national development plan. It is critical that we have a further national development plan. If my contribution can be worthwhile in encouraging the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, to speak to the Government about the necessity to do that, today's debate will have been effective.

I am more concerned about the issues that have not been dealt with in recent years. Unfortunately, when the BMW area was established, Clare was omitted. There are major problems especially on the west coast where there are small villages without sewerage systems and small fishing harbours in need of development. Coastal erosion has caused enormous damage and resources such as wave power, which has enormous potential, and the oil and gas reserves identified off the Clare coast at Spanish Point have not been harnessed. No effort has been made to undertake an investigation or exploitation of that huge resource of oil and wave power. My message to the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, given that this development plan and the BMW region are winding up, is that some thought and effort be put in well in advance of 2006 in order that an overall national development plan will take account of the declining populations in the small villages, the neglect of sewerage facilities in villages——