Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this matter which is of deep concern to me and to many in Waterford, which is designated a gateway city under the national spatial strategy. It should also be of concern to the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, who is from Limerick city.

The national spatial strategy was published in 2002 to be a blueprint for economic and social development within the State over the following 20 years. It is very appropriate to have a study such as the recent report from NUI Maynooth presented midway through the full term of the national spatial strategy, NSS, now that ten years have passed. Balanced regional development requires that the full potential of each region should contribute to the overall performance of the State and be developed on a sustainable, economic, social and environmental basis. In itself, that sets the framework of the NSS. Balanced regional development should be the objective of any Government in order to ensure that all our citizens, no matter what region or county they come from, have access to sustainable living.

The NUI Maynooth economic report to the ESRI conference has identified failures of the national spatial strategy in terms of job creation and the attraction of foreign direct investment into the two gateway cities, Limerick and Waterford. I wish to speak specifically on Waterford as a gateway, being a Deputy from that constituency. In the period since 2002, more than 80% of the jobs created by new foreign firms have been created in the cities of Dublin, Cork and Galway. This means a very small percentage of new jobs have been created in Limerick and Waterford. We must ask why this failure is happening within a national plan. It highlights and confirms concerns that we in Waterford and the south east have had for some time about the region not getting due attention and investment as planned under the NSS.

The current unemployment figure for Waterford is 20%, considerably above the national average. This should cause great concern for the Government and for Deputies of any party. It proves that balanced regional development under the existing national spatial strategy is not working. If we look at this across a number of sectors, the same is reflected not only in foreign direct investment, but in the delivery of policy and public services. To take education, the south east is the only region in the country that does not have a university. I welcome that the programme for Government identifies a technological university for the south east is planned. I urge all Ministers to progress this so that we can redress the imbalance that has been identified.

In addition, I refer to the VEC headquarters for the region. Given that there is consolidation because of fewer resources, why have these headquarters been located out of Waterford, the gateway city, to Wexford, which is a hub? That is just the educational sector. In health care Waterford Regional Hospital caters for more than 500,000 people in the region but the south east is the only region without palliative care facilities. Why is that? Why has the delivery of Government policy failed to bring regional services for our citizens in the south east? It is obvious that palliative care should be provided for citizens in Waterford Regional Hospital. The CAT lab facilities are an example of modern facilities developed in WRH for early intervention for people who suffer heart attacks but it is only a part-time service, not a 24-7 service similar to that in other regional hospitals. Again, the question needs to be asked.

The national spatial strategy is failing some of our gateway cities and regions. It is high time the Government reviewed this strategy with a view to ensuring proper, balanced, regional development in those areas.

See this speech in context