Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

Representative groups within the BMW region have made many calls for regional balance. The most recent came from the western bishops as part of the Western Development Commission. The gap between east and west is widening each day with regard to the provision of proper infrastructure, roads and public transport. It is galling to discover that there has been an underspend of €2 billion in allocation from Structural Funds during the lifetime of the NDP. Will the Leader ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to come to this House and explain the underspend at a time when such an infrastructural deficit exists in the west of Ireland? The Minister should also tell us of the Government's plans to ensure some degree of regional balance in the absence of Structural Funds because there is a depletion in what is coming from Europe.

Progress has been made in some areas. Therefore, why is the absence of infrastructure always cited in response to requests for inward investment? We can only deduce that the Government is unconcerned about proper regional development in the west of Ireland.