Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I am sure the House will be delighted that Senators Quinn and Hanafin and I were present for all three hours of this morning's meeting of the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service, at which there was an informative debate with representatives of the banking sector. It was interesting to hear the views of those involved in small and medium sized enterprises and banks. It was clear to anyone who attended the meeting that there has been a lack of communication between the banking sector and small and medium sized enterprises. Following today's meeting, there seems to be a clear understanding, particularly on the part of the two largest players in the banking sector, of the need to acknowledge that communication difficulties exist. If Senators speak to their party colleagues who attended the meeting, they will find that the understanding to which I refer is shared on a cross-party basis. The Small Firms Association has suggested that round-table discussions be organised periodically, perhaps through the Irish Banking Federation, to ensure that problems which arise are considered. The morning's meeting of the joint committee was a good and positive one. Perhaps the committee should deal with issues of this nature more frequently. It is clear that there have been misunderstandings on both sides. There is a broad acknowledgement that communication has been poor. Various messages have not been transmitted. The two biggest banking institutions were adamant at this morning's meeting that they are open for business. They want to discuss the various issues with industry representatives. I hope improvements can be made as a result of today's meeting, to which members from all parties and Independent members made a very good contribution.

I was disturbed to read a Sunday newspaper report on the third national infrastructure conference, which was held in Croke Park recently. A senior representative of Goodbody Stockbrokers who addressed the conference suggested that after the roads between the main urban centres are finished — none of the roads in question is north of a line between Dublin and Galway, by the way — all remaining public funds should be invested in attracting foreign direct investment to Dublin. That point of view is disgraceful in the extreme. It is unprofessional for a representative of a body like Goodbody Stockbrokers to make such a remark, especially as such bodies tend to be employed by State agencies to carry out work as professional experts. It is criminal in the extreme to give space within society to such insular views. It is important to have balanced development in this country. Dublin, which is our capital city, Cork, which is our second city, and the other large cities should have infrastructure that is appropriate to their needs. It is not appropriate to neglect the rest of the country, however. I refer in particular to that part of the country north of a line between Dublin and Galway.

For four and a half of my six and a half years in this House, I have been calling for a debate on the lack of progress being made with the national spatial strategy. If one listens to the official from Goodbody Stockbrokers I have mentioned, the policy to be followed by the arms of the State and the so-called experts in the financial and consultancy worlds should be the deletion of the national spatial strategy. It is clear that we will not have time for a debate on this matter before Christmas. We should have an opportunity to examine these issues after Christmas, as a matter of the utmost urgency, perhaps as part of a debate on the national spatial strategy. Perhaps we could discuss the HSE under the same heading, as it seems to be intent on following the same path as the representative of Goodbody Stockbrokers I have mentioned. Many of us did not agree with the decision to abolish the health boards in the first instance. The HSE is now intent on recreating the health boards, with the exception of the former North Western Health Board. I am afraid to say the north west continues to suffer the most neglect.

While, on behalf of the many fishermen in this country, I am sure we all wish our colleagues, who are negotiating the fishing quotas in Europe at present, well, it is ridiculous in the extreme and clearly part of our excessive pursuit of political correctness to say that we will put quotas or bans on fishing for pleasure.