Most of the lobbying in relation to the National Spatial Strategy must have taken place around the Cabinet table or in the form of verbal submissions, judging by the relatively low level of written representations by TDs.
Documentation provided by the Department of the Environment under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that TDs representing Cavan, Donegal, Kerry and Laois were the most active in seeking "gateway" designations for towns in their constituencies.
Mr Brendan Smith TD (FF, Cavan) wrote to the Taoiseach on August 9th saying it was "essential that Cavan town should be identified in the NSS as a centre for major development", given its strategic location in the mid-Border region. His message was heard.
Less successful were three Laois-Offaly TDs - Mr Charles Flanagan (FG), Mr Seán Fleming (FF) and Mr Tom Parlon (PD) - all of whom argued the case for designating Portlaoise and keeping Co Laois associated with counties Offaly, Westmeath and Longford.
Also unsuccessful was Mr Peter Kelly TD (FF, Longford-Roscommon), who advised the Taoiseach last month that when "picking" gateway towns, he should choose Longford - though Mr Ahern assured him that he would "certainly keep your views in mind".
Mr Tony Killeen TD (FF, Clare) argued that the area around Shannon Airport would be "an ideal counterbalance to the Dublin conurbation", if it was broadened to include Ennis and Limerick, though he expressed concern that other towns in Co Clare might be left out.
Ms Cecilia Keaveney TD (FF, Donegal North East) welcomed the concept of designating Letterkenny as a gateway, but said she wanted something done for Inishowen, "which should not merely serve the purpose of breeding a labour force for centres 40-50 miles away".
Kerry's voice was also heard, with the Minister for Sport, Mr O'Donoghue, calling for "the Tralee-Killarney axis" to be designated as a gateway, supported by the former Labour leader, Mr Dick Spring. Mr Jimmy Deenihan (FG), Mr Thomas McEllistrim TD (FF) and Mr Fergus O'Dowd TD (FG, Louth) unsuccessfully sought gateway designation for Drogheda on the basis that it had become the largest town in Co Louth, while Mr Bernard Allen TD (FG) wanted a single planning authority for the greater Cork area.
Mr Michael Lowry (Ind, Tipperary North) lobbied for Thurles while the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, forwarded a submission from the south-east region of IBEC, arguing that Waterford was the only town in the region with a prospect of reaching "critical mass".
The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Mary Coughlan, who represents Donegal South West, stressed in a letter to Mr Cullen the "absolute necessity to allow single housing in rural areas" to cater for young people who were "indigenous" to those areas.
Ms Coughlan also lobbied on behalf of Letterkenny and Sligo, as did Dr James McDaid (FF, Donegal North East) and Mr Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (Donegal South West). All three of them forwarded the same letter from Mr Tom Ford, president of Sligo Chamber of Commerce.
