Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Moran, has prioritised Athlone as a new city under the national planning framework proposals. This is a scandalous decision made by senior Fine Gael politicians to keep that party in office. I would ask Fine Gael to look at itself in the mirror and ask what was so wrong with the previous arrangements in Mullingar, Tullamore and Athlone, apart from the fact that no money was put into them. I call on the Leader to speak to the Taoiseach and ask him to revisit this situation. The people of the midlands are not happy.