Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Leader. I welcome all the delegates from various parts of the country and the world to the Chamber.

I will start on a positive note. Last Friday, we had a great occasion in Athenry, County Galway, with the news announced by Dexcom of a major investment in County Galway and the west with the creation of 1,000 jobs over five years plus 500 construction jobs on an IDA Ireland site located at Newford, Athenry. Dexcom is a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of continuous glucose monitoring systems for the management of diabetes. The new facility will be Dexcom's first production plant in Europe.

As we know, we effectively have full employment in this country but these things do not happen by accident. The work done by IDA Ireland, in particular over a long number of years and throughout the recession in terms of continuous investment in this country, has been tremendous. A new facility does not just arrive and it takes a network of engagement over a long number of years to deliver a project like the one at Newford, and in grave secrecy until a project is over the line. The €300 million investment is a boost for Athenry, County Galway and the west of Ireland. It would be worthwhile if the Leader could arrange a debate on IDA Ireland and continuous investment in this country. A debate would be an opportunity to herald this good news story and emphasise the tremendous job done by IDA Ireland.

The site in Athenry is on IDA land at the intersection of two motorways, one from Galway to Dublin and the other from Limerick to Tuam, as well as two railway lines. The facility is an added stimulus for the extension of the railway to Tuam and Claremorris. I believe that the case for an extension has already been proven but the fact that this major plant is due to locate in the west is a further indication of the positivity of reopening the railway.

On another matter, we both attended a very important meeting in Galway last night on the provision of cancer care services. Last week, I asked for a debate on the capital plan, the delivery of the national development plan and how we can fast-track and streamline it. Cancer services in the west of Ireland are below where they are in other parts of the country and that is not good enough. It is not good enough for the west of Ireland because the people of the region deserve the same services as every other part of the country. We are not getting the services, not because of the people involved but because the current facilities are not appropriate. Basically, the people who seek cancer treatment are in competition with other people in terms of beds in University Hospital Galway. I seek a debate on cancer services.