Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Does the Tánaiste remember saying, "So long as I am Taoiseach Waterford will not be neglected or forgotten"? He said he considered Waterford to be "a litmus test for the Republic of Opportunity ... one in which every part of the country has an equal chance to share in our country's prosperity".

These words were not said in the Sturm und Drang of an election campaign, rather they were said a few weeks after he became Taoiseach in the summer of 2017 in what was probably his first visit outside Dublin. What was really amazing about that speech is that he perfectly formulated the tough predicament of the region and the practical impact of years of political neglect.

The Tánaiste saw what was happening. He promised change. Most people in Waterford know his Bausch & Lomb speech very well. It really is the hope that kills.

Budget 2022 is being framed at the moment, as is the review of the Ireland 2040 capital projects. The last Ireland 2040 capital projects spreadsheet listed 96 significant capital projects projected to cost €10.2 billion, which I brought up with the Tánaiste in the House some months ago. Just four of these projects were located in the south east, with just €304 million of the total expenditure. Just under 10% of our population lives in the south east, so a fair share would be nine projects and €907 million.

Unfortunately, we are still awaiting the sunny uplands that the Tánaiste foresaw in 2017. We are still awaiting the 24-7 cardiac care that the Tánaiste had hoped was imminent, still awaiting the national recognition of the health inequality being waged on vulnerable and acutely sick south-east cardiac patients, and still awaiting the higher education investment and the public private partnership building that has been promised and postponed yet again. There is no mention of any other main investment in the campus of the new technological university, not even remediation moneys to stop the rainwater at present entering the roof of the engineering building. Everyone is worried that our search and rescue helicopter service will be pulled and our airport shuttered. Our hospital is still suffering under the yoke of Cork politics. The white-hot idea in Sláintecare was to throw us to the Dublin wolves.

A lot of hope in the south east hangs on the revised capital plan. I hope we will not continue to be disappointed.

See this speech in context