That completes Questions on Promised Legislation. I seek the assistance of the Taoiseach in regard to the Regional Group, which inadvertently missed out on its Leaders' Questions slot. Is the Taoiseach open to taking that now?
Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed)
Yes.
I thank the House for the forbearance. I congratulate and thank the Government - I should say our Government - for the belated wisdom in amending the Department of Transport's provisional tender questionnaire for the Irish Coast Guard air and sea rescue services. It comes as a great relief to all of us in the south east who rely on this service. It raises the question as to whether a larger strategic game is being played here. There was no committee of inquiry and no business case analysis. It was amazing how quickly the questionnaire could be amended. To be fair, I do not think there was anything to fear from the Department of Transport in terms of it looking for a reduction in helicopters because I do not think it can be done. Rather, what was afoot here was the putting down of a marker that the Department wants the flexibility to close Waterford Airport.
It was interesting listening to Deputy Michael Healy-Rae ask for support for Kerry Airport. In the past year, as the Taoiseach knows, the Government has withdrawn €350,000 in stopgap funding and excluded Waterford Airport from aviation supports totalling €180 million. I say this against the backdrop of capital spending in the State that is now cresting €10 billion. The south east represents 10% of the country's population and yet we are on course at present to get 2% of the capital funding. Plans for our new engineering buildings at Waterford Institute of Technology and Carlow Institute of Technology appear to have been mothballed. There is no further funding to build on the existing land banks we have. The new engineering building for Waterford Institute of Technology was promised in 2009 and committed to again in 2014. Improvements to the N24 and N25 - vital arterial routes in a region with limited public transport options - are required, but these have been quietly withdrawn in the past few weeks. We have had little progress is developing 24-7 cardiac care. The north quays project is currently stalled. The boundary extension to Waterford was gerrymandered some time ago.
The list goes on. The south east has 10% of the people but 2% of the national capital budget. That does social, economic and cultural damage. I have a plain question for the Taoiseach. Is he gunning for our airport? Will it survive his watch?
That last assertion is ridiculous. No one is gunning for anybody. The Government does not want to close any airport; it has no interest in closing any airport. The Minister amended the tender requirements for search and rescue to specify that four bases, in Dublin, Shannon, Sligo and Waterford, would be provided for. It depends on the lens through which one looks at things. I think the Deputy is developing a conspiracy theory that does not stack up in respect of the specific issue of a tender for search and rescue.
The Government allocated €100 million in supports from the urban regeneration and development fund for two projects in Waterford, namely, those relating to Waterford city north quays and Tramore town centre. It is not the Government's fault that there has been a difficulty in respect of one of those projects. The Government allocates funding to local authorities on the basis of projects that are submitted to Government. It is then up to the local authorities and people on the ground to execute those projects and to spend their allocations. The Government showed its commitment by allocating substantial and record funding under the urban regeneration and development fund. The Minister of State, Deputy Troy, along with the Tánaiste, will shortly publish a new south-east regional enterprise plan. That is a bottom-up plan that has been developed by local stakeholders, including the local authorities, enterprise agencies, local enterprise offices, regional skills forums and education and training institutes in the region. The plan is progressing very well. The south-east steering committee will meet next month to sign off on the strategic objectives and supporting actions. It is then intended to publish the plan.
There are 74 IDA Ireland client companies now in the south-east region. These employ 13,461 people. The foreign direct investment performance in the region has been strong over the past five years. Employment has risen among IDA Ireland client companies by 24%. The main clusters in the region, as the Deputy knows, are high-value manufacturing, with more than 10,000 jobs in the life sciences cluster of companies spread right across the region. That will grow. The level of foreign direct investment has been positive and that is reflected in the south east. The region has very important clusters now in technology, engineering and industrial technologies, and international financial services, which are complemented by research centres. Repligen announced 130 jobs in Waterford in August 2021. Bausch + Lomb announced 130 jobs in July 2021. Horizon Therapeutics announced 90 jobs in June 2021. Trilateral Research announced 40 jobs in Waterford in November 2020. CSC announced 75 jobs in Wexford in November 2020. State Street announced 400 jobs in September 2021. There is also the technological university for the south east. Great progress has been made on that. We are hoping all parties are working towards its establishment on 1 May 2022. Funding has also been provided. A catheterisation laboratory has also been announced for University Hospital Waterford.
What the Taoiseach has referenced there is the ability of people in the south east to get up and go. I absolutely concur with that. The issue I am talking about is an infrastructural piece, which is Waterford Airport. The Taoiseach accused me of developing conspiracy theories. I put it to him that €350,000 in annual stopgap funding has been withdrawn and that the airport was excluded from €180 million worth of aviation sector funding. This is in respect of an airport that is privately supported. I ask the Taoiseach to give a clear commitment to Waterford Airport. If he does that, I will not bring the matter up again on the Order of Business. That is what people want to hear. Waterford is mentioned in the programme for Government as being the strategic driver of the south-east region. How are we to do that if we are not to get investment in strategic infrastructure? I ask the Taoiseach to give a commitment to the future economic support of Waterford regional airport.
There are a whole range of constraints that govern aviation policy in terms of airports and so on.
So it is a "No".
The most important strategic investment in Waterford and the south east is the new technological university. That is the most important investment that will occur. It needs to happen, it will happen and it will be followed with investment.
There is a range of areas that need investment.
The university is key in terms of leveraging more research investment, which it will. As a lifelong passionate advocate for education, higher education and research-----
We are not talking about the technological university. I am talking specifically about the airport.
The Deputy spoke about strategic investment.
Yes, across a range of areas. This is a key one.
I would differ from the Deputy in that I would put far more emphasis on the necessity for the university.
All these things are necessary.