Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I ask that we have a debate on balanced regional development. The Deputy Leader and Senator Crowe were in Tuam on Saturday for a very well-attended meeting. A number of Senators, county councillors and public representatives from the west were present. There was a strong case for the full roll-out of the western railway corridor for both freight and passenger transport. It made sense and there was strong, co-ordinated, cross-party support for the initiative.

Last night at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, BIPA, we talked again about regional development. I talked to people about it in the context of Scotland and Wales. It is a very big issue. Today, as I was coming back from Cavan - the beautiful Cavan as the Leas-Chathaoirleach outlined to us - I was thinking about how important regional development is.Visiting the major town centres outside of Dublin, we suddenly realise how Dublin-centric we are in our spatial planning and how we need to reinvigorate what were once thriving communities and rural towns. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate on balanced regional development.

We were greatly spurred on and enthused by the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, who talked not about why but when the western rail corridor will be completed. It is an exciting and important project which would benefit from cross-party support and enthusiasm to drive it for the west.