John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Shannon was one of the very few planned towns developed in Ireland, if not the only one. It suffers from some of the shortcomings we see in planned towns in the United Kingdom, such as the lack of an obvious centre. I am not sure whether the Senator chose the right word in describing it as "desperate". I would not say it is beyond redemption.