Today Bertie Ahern launched the National Spatial Strategy for Ireland - the framework for development of the country's infrastructure and population centers over the next 20 years. It's primary objective is to address the development and investment imbalance which currently exists in Ireland where almost half the country's population lives in or around Dublin. Over the last ten year's it's become apparent that we cannot continue to support the expansion of Dublin at such a rate that the citiy's infrastucture is creaking under the strain when traditionally bouyant rural population centers are dying for want of inward investment and job creation. I used to live in Dublin, and yes it's a great city, but if I was to move there now from Galway not only would my quality of life take a serious hit but it would probably cost me 30% more at least to live there. Anyway, I welcome the fact that the Government now has a strategy - it won't keep everyone happy and the development of the country is bound to be influenced by many other external factors over the next couple of decades but it's a lot better than nothing at all. Perhaps, the next step now is a complete overhaul of the system of local government.