I too wish to be associated with the welcoming of the deputy head of mission from the French Embassy. I wish him a happy Bastille Day and the best of luck tonight. I am not going to be as blatant and pick a side before the game, but it is hard to go against France on a night like tonight. I also acknowledge a colleague from Roscommon, Dympna Daly-Finn, who is in the Gallery. I welcome her to the House. She is a guest of Deputy Clendennen.

I am calling for a debate in the House on the regional spatial and economic strategy, or the RSES as some of us know it. It is important in delivering balanced regional development. The RSES is far more than another planning document; it is the blueprint that guides our county development plans. It influences where homes are built, where businesses invest, where infrastructure is delivered and, ultimately, where Government funding is directed over the next decade and beyond.

If a project is not reflected in the regional spatial and economic strategy, it becomes significantly harder to include it in future county development plans, and it is much more difficult to secure investment for it. That is why the RSES is so important. In my home county of Roscommon, I want to see an ambitious submission from our local authority that looks beyond today's challenges and plans for tomorrow's opportunities. This means prioritising the continued upgrade of the N61 as the backbone of the county, linking Athlone to Sligo through Roscommon town, Tulsk and Boyle. Investment in this route would unlock housing, enterprise, tourism and development opportunities right across the centre of our county.

We also need to recognise the N60 and the long-term need for a relief road in my home town of Castlerea to improve road safety, which I heard about with Councillor Ruth Conboy last Friday when we visited the Corlann services in Castlerea.

The users of that service highlighted the desperate need to have more road crossings at the centre of Castlerea. Development of the N61 and a relief road would also support businesses and make the town a more attractive place to live and invest in. To put this into context, 15 years ago, many people described the M5 as a pipe dream. Today, it has become a reality because people had the vision to include it in the long-term planning and continued to make the case for it.

Going back to the RSES, we need to show ambition today. If we truly believe in balanced regional development, we must have the courage to plan for it. We need a debate in this House on the strategy to ensure every local authority is encouraged to make an ambitious submission that will shape stronger communities for generations to come. I look forward to having that debate in September if we have the chance.