Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin believes in investment in infrastructure. In my constituency of Cork North-Central, we have seen an infrastructural deficit brought on by decades of underinvestment and neglect by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. This has left my constituents with heavy good vehicles, trucks and cars driving through because Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael promised a north ring road for Cork and, after they destroyed the country in the financial crash, it was scrapped. Now half of the city has a ring road on the south side, and nothing on the north side. Instead, articulated trucks go through housing estates, putting the people at risk and emitting fumes. Instead of putting away money for a rainy day with this investment fund, the Government should spend it to provide capital investment for people in the State right now.

We recognise the need for an investment fund but not this badly designed investment fund the Government is bringing forward. Can the Minister imagine explaining to people that we have the money to build a northern ring road, build light rail for Cork and put in a proper bus service so people can get to work, college and school, and, most importantly, get out of their cars, but the Government is putting the money away until 2041? How does that make sense when we need these projects now?

There are children tonight in Cork, Dublin and across the country sleeping in hotel emergency accommodation. These children will be adults by the time these funds can be spent. What does the Minister say to those 4,000 children across the State in homeless services? Will he say it is being put in a fund? Is that for their pension? These children need housing now and the Government is failing to deliver social, affordable and cost-rental housing. That is not me saying this; it is the Government's own low targets not being achieved.

There is so much I want to say about my community in Cork North-Central. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have neglected us for decades. What is the Government's answer? Where is the northern ring road? Where is the economic development for the north side of Cork? Where is the new hospital we were promised? Where are the schools we were promised? Where is the money for the infrastructure we were promised? The Government might be coming to an end but the people of Cork North-Central want change because they are sick to the back teeth of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael letting them down again and again.

The water is dirty in the constituency I represent because Uisce Éireann cannot get its act together. Why does the Government not put funding into proper infrastructure and water pipes so the people of Cork, especially on the north side, can have clean drinking water in 2024?

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