Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The question that I must answer to my electorate is whether I support this Government to continue with its current policies on health, housing, support for carers and, crucially, a delivery of a fair share to the regions, and the north west in particular. My answer has to be “No”.

The Taoiseach earlier asked us to be fair. Therefore, I will stick to the facts. The European Commission has downgraded the northern and western region from a developed region because our GDP, the measure of our wealth, is collapsing around our ears. IDA Ireland backed jobs from 2010 to 2020 for Sligo show an increase of 16% and for Leitrim, a 10% decrease. Nationally, we see an 85% increase. We are not even at the races.

Nationally, reports tell us that only one in two young people can hope to own their own home. That is a tragedy. Finding a place to rent is impossible, yet virtually nobody in County Leitrim can build a one-off house.

The non-implementation of the regionalisation of Sláintecare means the closure in Sligo University Hospital of the only cath lab north of a line from Dublin to Galway. When we take the bed capacity in Sligo and Letterkenny hospitals into account, Trolley Watch figures show they are comparatively almost as bad as University Hospital Limerick, yet there is no emergency response in our region.

The announcement of a €7 billion, or perhaps it is €20 billion, MetroLink project while regional and national roads are being stalled is hard to take.

Before I finish, I will say that I do not appreciate being told by the leader of Sinn Féin about standing with people. Her words show disrespect for my mandate, all Independent Deputies and the people who elected us.

The Government has had some success, and that is good for the country. However, the overall direction on the issues that matter most to my constituents has not been sufficient. There has not been enough done and there is an awful lot more to do.

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