Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

We are speaking about the south east and it is my duty to represent Tipperary. I concur completely with the Minister about Waterford city. I know it very well as I worked in the city for 13 years from 1987 to 2000; that was on Broad Street in the middle of the city, which was the hub at the time. It saddens me to see the centre of the city run down in the way that it has been. Major outlets moved out for business reasons, as the Minister correctly said. That was facilitated by politicians who decided to rezone lands on the fringes of the city, causing the demise of the centre. I probably go to Waterford city more than any other town because I have many links there and I know it is fighting back. For the Christmas period there is Winterval, a fantastic event that goes on right over the Christmas period.

I do not accept the Government is not doing anything for the south east. Much infrastructure has been put in the south east and in my town, for the first time since 1977, a new educational facility in the form of a school is being provided. There is also a new primary health care centre, and that is the first time anything has been done for 30 years with regard to health care. To say the south east is not getting infrastructure is incorrect. I commend the Minister and his ministerial colleagues on the effort they are making for the south east. It is an uphill struggle but we started from a very low base, and the damage to the south east was done during previous Administrations.

I commend a former Minister and Deputy, Mr. Martin Cullen, who was mentioned earlier, for his work in providing a motorway in the area. When I leave my house to come to Dublin, I am on the motorway in 15 minutes and it goes straight to Dublin.