Ciarán Cannon (Progressive Democrats)

It is because Ireland is a country of opportunity for those who are willing to work hard to provide for themselves. If Senator Alex White wishes to go to Poland or Lithuania, he is most welcome to do so. That is where he will find the most equal economies in the EU.

The issue that concerns me is the recent decision by the NRA not to develop the vast majority of the rest areas along the motorway network. This is a seriously retrograde decision. I call on the Minister for Transport to intervene immediately. The former Minister, Deputy Cullen, intervened in 2005 to get the NRA to provide a plan for fully serviced rest areas with restaurants, petrol stations and so forth along the motorways. There were also plans to provide resting areas for drivers but these have now been abandoned.