Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators de Búrca and Walsh asked that when the Minister for Foreign Affairs comes to the House we would discuss the independence of the people of Kosovo. I have no difficulty with such a debate taking place.

Senators Coghlan, O'Donovan and Daly called for an urgent debate on the coastguard stations at Valentia Island and Malin Head. I have endeavoured to have this take place next Wednesday. I propose that it will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Senator Walsh expressed concerns about planning regulations, as a public representative with experience at local authority level and through his officership of the national organisation of the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA. This concerns where we are going and how we wish Ireland to be for the next 50 years. Whatever is the density in Dublin, this is not to be the same in rural Ireland. As a member of Westmeath County Council, I found that the Dublin planning guidelines were taken as planning guidelines by the neighbouring county, such as Meath. Then the next county, Westmeath, would take it from the neighbouring county. The planning guidelines for a city such as the capital city, Dublin, could stretch 80 miles from O'Connell Street, which is not relevant to the quality of life in which we were reared.