Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is time for honest and straight answers. This is a variation of the same reply that has been given for the past six months, maybe even the past 12 months. It is incredible that the capital plan for 2019 has not yet been finalised and published even though we are in June. Is the Government taking people for a joke? This is crazy stuff. The Government is still considering the capital plan. I have told the House what Mr. Jim Curran, the HSE's head of estates, wrote to me, namely, that progression to the next stage of development, design and submission of a planning application was subject to the availability of capital funding. Is that capital funding available for the detailed planning and design stage? Is funding available for the hospital's construction?

In terms of paediatric care, this represents a shocking discrimination against the regions. Three facilities in Dublin are covered - that is fine and I wish them the best of luck and I have no issue there except with the inability to control costs - yet there seems to be nothing for the rest. I would ask the Minister of State to contradict me. Is it the case that funding has not been provided for this project over the next three years? Is it the case that no capital money has been provided for this children's facility in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022? Can the Minister of State contradict me? I would be happy if he could, but it is time to be honest with the people on the ground who are providing this service. They cannot find answers.

Do not cite Project Ireland 2040. It is a wonderful piece of fiction and made it into the geography exam in this year's leaving certificate. The terminology involved in that surprised me a little by the way, but the question of who is setting exams these days and the politics of that is another day's work. Project Ireland 2040 is a piece of fiction, though. People want to know what the budget for 2020 to 2023, inclusive, will be. I read the memo from the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the broadband plan. He is saying that the Government's national development plan, NDP, figures do not align with the reality of available funding. It is time to come clean and tell the people of Cork whether money will be available in the next two or three years. Please, do not mention Project Ireland 2040.

See this speech in context