Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On Monday, through the medium of Twitter, we learned of the Minister for Health's capital plan to spend €1 billion largely in Dublin. It means just one eighth of the funding will be given to the other eight model 4 hospitals, including Waterford. Our Parliament was not consulted in any way in advance. I wonder what democratic parliament on earth would tolerate the spending of such a sum by one man and his thumb. Should spending not follow the will of the people? Should a plan as significant as this not be placed in front of the House before being approved and announced as a fait accompli?

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