David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is very important that we get this right. We all recognise that the previous national planning framework and national spatial strategy did not get it right. We had many hubs and gateways. If one looks at the south east, where I am from, Waterford was designated as a gateway. From all of the economic indicators, right across investment in public services, investment in infrastructure, unemployment and employment rates and rates of educational attainment, it is clear that the south east did not deliver and, in fact, underperformed. We had the highest level of unemployment and the lowest level of employment for a long time, both before and since the recession.

We had the lowest level of education attainment. There is no university in the region and, while we have a first class institute of technology, record numbers of people in the south east are leaving in order to obtain third-level or fourth-level qualifications and are then not coming back. We do not have the same level of investment in research and development a other regions because baseline research and development funding is given to universities but not institutes of technology. While we have had some investment in recent years, such as in respect of the motorway, Waterford simply did not deliver as the gateway.

I accept that, at least on paper, this plan is ambitious for Waterford and that is to be welcomed. It envisages Waterford being a regional gateway city and massive increases in population and the number of jobs. There are job creation targets. The difficulty is in how all of this will be delivered and in whether the capital plan will be forthcoming. Two big issues are not covered in either the development plan or the capital plan. One is the regional airport in Waterford. There is investment in regional airports everywhere except Waterford where money is only provided to stand still.

There is also no real capital investment for Waterford Institute of Technology or additional funding to allow it and the Institute of Technology Carlow to transition into a technological university. According to this plan, 90% of all funding for higher education institutions will go into the existing universities while only 10% will go into the institutes of technology. That will not be good for a region which wants to be front and centre at the table and which the Government wants to be a counterweight to Dublin. The south east will only thrive, be able to deal with the real difficulties and challenges it faces, and play to its many strengths if Waterford city is the driver and engine of the region. That is what has to happen. As Deputy Munster said, we can have all the rhetoric, plans and fine words that we want but unless they are matched with funding, unless the silo mentality which exists in different Departments is ended and unless we have a single plan that can drive real growth and cut across Departments and which is underpinned by real funding, this will simply be another document which is long on aspiration but which will not deliver.

I very much hope that this does deliver for the south east. I am very optimistic for the region, given the splendid things it has going in terms of wastewater infrastructure, the institute of technology and the motorways. While we have a lot, there is much we do not have because of Government neglect.

There is no point in having a national planning framework that aims to increase the population if we do not invest in public services or provide the health capacity that people need. In the south east, there is a demand for a second catheterisation lab to ensure that patients have access to 24-7 cardiology care. That has to be front and centre if the population is to increase by 60%. Some of those people are going to get sick and will need to be treated. That has to underpin any approach to planning as well.

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