Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the House for the forbearance. I congratulate and thank the Government - I should say our Government - for the belated wisdom in amending the Department of Transport's provisional tender questionnaire for the Irish Coast Guard air and sea rescue services. It comes as a great relief to all of us in the south east who rely on this service. It begs the question as to whether a larger strategic game is being played here. There was no committee of inquiry and no business case analysis. It was amazing how quickly the questionnaire could be amended. To be fair, I do not think there was anything to fear from the Department of Transport in terms of it looking for a reduction in helicopters because I do not think it can be done. Rather, what was afoot here was the putting down of a marker that the Department wants the flexibility to close Waterford Airport.

It was interesting listening to Deputy Michael Healy-Rae ask for support for Kerry Airport. In the past year, as the Taoiseach knows, the Government has withdrawn €350,000 in stopgap funding and excluded Waterford Airport from aviation supports totalling €180 million. I say this against the backdrop of capital spending in the State that is now cresting €10 billion. The south east represents 10% of the country's population and yet we are on course at present to get 2% of the capital funding. Plans for our new engineering buildings at Waterford Institute of Technology and Carlow Institute of Technology appear to have been mothballed. There is no further funding to build on the existing land banks we have. The new engineering building for Waterford Institute of Technology was promised in 2009 and committed to again in 2014. Improvements to the N24 and N25 - vital arterial routes in a region with limited public transport options - are required, but these have been quietly withdrawn in the past few weeks. We have had little progress is developing 24-7 cardiac care. The north quays project is currently stalled. The boundary extension to Waterford was gerrymandered some time ago.

The list goes on. The south east has 10% of the people but 2% of the national capital budget. That does social, economic and cultural damage. I have a plain question for the Taoiseach. Is he gunning for our airport? Will it survive his watch?

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