Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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The Tánaiste says "potato" and I say "potahto". It depends on what is being measured when he is saying that the west has fallen behind. Looking at where the west is in comparison to the south east, there is a far greater degree of wealth in the west at this time. That was not the position 25 years ago. I would contend that the Western Development Commission has done an excellent job, to be honest, in terms of framing strategic policy for that region. On infrastructural investment in the south east, the Tánaiste pointed out that IDA companies look for up to 1.5 million people to be within a commuting distance. I can tell the Tánaiste that Waterford has that metric already. We are not lacking that. However, the number of visits that are done by IDA Ireland, particularly to Waterford, is low. In actual fact, the IDA office has only recently been added to in number. A new executive director was appointed, which is welcome, but it is only starting to recognise the deficiencies that have been there. On the Tánaiste's comments on infrastructural investments that the south east region has seen, I would point out that we are not seeing investment in roads. Nothing is being done on the N24 and N25 beyond a couple of million euro being spent on taking out bad bends. There are no plans to upgrade either of those roads in the climate action plan or the Minister for Transport's directives on roads. Beyond that, we are still waiting to see the investment in third level education, in our hospital, which is the largest employer in the region, and in the airport. We are still behind, and it is something that must be addressed. I look forward to engaging with the Tánaiste further on the idea of a development commission, because it is vital and needed for the region.