Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, the Minister of State and their officials for being here. I agree that this plan is the opportunity of a generation. It is important that we get it right and set out of vision. I welcome the comprehensive consultations that have taken place across the country which must continue until 3 November.

As someone who is from a city, I recognise and agree with the Minister that this is not only about cities but about moving out to the regions. When one looks at the population of Dublin it is 166% greater than it was at the foundation of the State. Compare that to the population of Connaught, which is less than it was in 1926. We need to look at the counter-balance to Dublin and the greater Leinster area. Sometimes when this is discussed, people in the capital can see it as a threat to them but it is not, it is about rebalancing economic development across the country for everyone's benefit.

I looked at the key future growth enablers for Galway, which are very positive. I have a number of comments. I read the submission by Galway chamber, which consulted widely with a large range of stakeholders. Everyone will have heard of Galway's traffic problems and transport issues and the need for an outer city bypass, known as the Galway city ring road although it has had a number of different names over the years. We acknowledge that but it will take around 10 years to come into effect and we need to look at public transport, as is stated in the document, which looks at improving access and sustainable transport links and integration with existing employment areas to the east of the city. It mentions Parkmore. The Minister and his officials are, and the previous Minister, Deputy Simon Coveny had been, very active in trying to tackle the considerable traffic congestion in Galway. Many people who work in the city do not live there, they travel in from places such as east Galway and south Mayo. Park and ride facilities would provide an important solution and ought to be included in this plan as part of the overall solution.

Not everyone wants to bypass the city. We must also look at an integrated public transport system for people going to work. There is NUIG, GMIT and the centre of excellence in the hospital in the city centre, so a two-pronged approach is needed. The Galway chamber report refers to the need for a conference, exhibition and performance centre for Galway. Again, this is not only for the city but for the region, as a cultural centre for business, the arts and culture. It suggests the expansion of Galway harbour, which is not only about accommodating cruise ships and freight but also could make it a business and enterprise district for the region.

Traffic and congestion has been mentioned. Any Member of the Oireachtas could come here and discuss matters of traffic and commuting times. I do not see any reference to high speed trains. Starting with the Galway-Dublin route, this would help to open access to the regions.

I referred to the centre of excellence at Galway University Hospital. It received that designation many years ago and serves not only Galway but people as far away as Donegal all the way down to south Clare and as far east as Athlone, yet it has not received adequate infrastructural investment to support that. Some 200 consultants and medical clinicians have written to the Minister for Health acknowledging that Galway and the west and north west needs a proper new acute hospital. That needs to be included and is part of the Galway chamber's submission. It is about the regions, not about one area or it being a local issue. It is a regional issue and is about planning now. We know this will not happen in the next two or three years but it has to be part of the 2040 plan.

Recently, I met with the presidents of GMIT, Sligo IT and Letterkenny IT.

This is about opening access to education. They raised the issue of the need for a Connacht-Ulster alliance. They would like to see more of an emphasis on that in this plan in terms of developing a technological university. The Minister correctly made reference to developing skill sets and apprenticeships. They are well placed to serve that need.

The plan makes provision for the projections for the over 65 population which is coming down the track. I go back to our centre of excellence, University Hospital Galway, which is not equipped to deal with that in its current infrastructure capacity. It needs to be expanded. We also have Merlin Park, a sister hospital which has a leaking roof and has cancelled all its orthopaedic surgeries. This is a 1950s TB hospital that has never been renovated. All surgeries have been cancelled. This is supposed to be our centre of excellence. With our population increase, we will need these facilities and it needs to be included in the plan.

I thank the Minister. I acknowledge this is the start of the process but it is important that we set out these infrastructure projects that need to be included in the plan.