Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I support what the Senator said. I will not cover the ground he covered on windmills. I wish to raise the issue of the national spatial strategy which is covered in this group of amendments. Senator Bannon referred to one-off houses. I also have a concern about that and I may deal with it when we reach a later amendment.

We should examine the settlement centres and development areas, particularly in our towns. The Minister recently visited Galway and we were delighted to spend a few hours with him discussing various issues regarding the way our villages and towns will be developed and such settlement centres. We had a useful meeting with different communities on improving water supplies, particularly the provision of small sewerage schemes in our towns, which is very much in line with the national spatial strategy.

We are lucky in the town of Tuam that it has been designated as a hub town. There are gateway and hub towns right along the west coast, and it is important that we build on that development. The development of towns and village settlement centres should be promoted. That issue is as important as one-off housing. I would like the Minister to take that issue on board.