Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too thank all the staff and ushers, and the Ceann Comhairle, for their support over the last while. I advise the House that President Higgins has agreed to ring the peace bell at Áras an Uachtaráin for 11 minutes on 11 November, from 11.03 a.m. Perhaps this House could do something in unison to support that initiative. I will drop the Ceann Comhairle a note on it.

To check in with the Tánaiste and be clear for the Waterford voters, there is a hard no to the SETU engineering public private partnership. I remind the Tánaiste that it was first promised in 2007, rehashed in 2009 and promised again in 2018. At the start of Government, it was put into a second batch while Cork and Dublin projects were progressed. All that stands there now are furze bushes and dandelions. There is also a hard no to the runway extension at Waterford Airport, where €25 million was promised by the Tánaiste's Government in 2007. Despite €500 million having been spent on national aviation, not a cent has been given to Waterford Airport in this programme for Government. I have a new slogan for the Tánaiste and the Government parties. They should say "Airports 24-7, SETU for Waterford: all promised, nothing done, stand by for more promises."

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