Phoenix: Destroying your future!

In recent weeks the column has focused on the vital economic concern that there is not a single major government development project in Waterford at the planning or tender stage. This is an incredible state of affairs, which neither Minister Butler nor Cummins has publicly addressed. Should they wish to do so, they can have a page in this newspaper to help us understand. 

Meantime, perhaps they hope that no one will notice? Would they, as ever, point to the North Quays, the new UHW Surgical Hub and the SETU engineering building as evidence of good faith? That would be economy with the truth as those three projects, which are important, result from decisions taken by our last government. Where is the new stuff from the present government?

Matt Shanahan recently posted a damning “Regional Imbalance” critique of the current state of state investment on his Facebook page. Stating more or less the same point as above, he cites 10 Waterford projects which have not attracted government support: airport, port, port energy facility, rail to Wexford, N24, N25, new SETU buildings, new UHW bed block, increased UHW staff and new river crossing. 

“In July 2025, Government's Finance ministers discussed the record new Capital Infrastructure Investment programme totaling €165 Billion, which they framed as a deliberate effort by Government to spur regional economic infrastructure development and reduce regional imbalance and inequity. We have yet to see any evidence of one new capital investment approval to Waterford from the new investment fund. The economic impetus Waterford has now lost in failing to access this record release of national capital funding may never be recovered, and for that we will pay a future economic price.” 

Inter alia, it was shameful to hear Fine Gael spin the line that the airport company “chose to go the private route to develop.” Having been humiliated by government refusals and with procurement processes as camouflage to destroy the project by a Department of Transport top management team toxic to Waterford (and a Fianna Fáil minister unwilling to put manners on them), it is a miracle that a US investor stepped in to complete the project.

Without much effort, a new children’s hub and new hub for older people at St Otteran’s, a new acute mental health unit, new multi-storey car park, new Out Patients Department and new stroke unit at UHW, new FDI/IDA sponsored industry, could all be added to Mr Shanahan’s list. 

The question should be posed as to whether our two ministers are politically just plain unable to advance Waterford’s position. Something is painfully and obviously wrong. Case in point… 24/7 cardiology will commence at UHW in July. The hospital sought 26 extra staff to operate the service but received 10 in a facility with 1,000 less staff than all other national Model 4 hospitals and approximately €100 million less annual budget. 

Are UHW staff being politically coerced into operating the service by a Fine Gael Health minister or is it just, as usual, expected to do more with less? Since before the Covid epidemic UHW’s performance has been exemplary and praised by ministers of all parties, yet the expected return in vital new facilities for our regional hospital is refused. The HSE website has been compromised for some months recently, but it is my understanding that UHW is operating well above capacity and compares more than favourably to UHL and St Vincent’s. 

Presumably Minister Carroll-McNeill believes that the meek should inherit feck all? Maybe UHW should just do as others do and compromise the whole system with obscene trolley numbers as a means of attracting capital expenditure?

What are the real world consequences when resources are denied to UHW? Last week, “Minister Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill welcomed the ongoing expansion of bed capacity at UH Limerick, with the awarding of a contract for the delivery of a further new 96-bed inpatient ward block. This will be the second 96-bed ward block on the UHL campus in recent times, following the successful completion and occupancy of the first 96-bed ward building in 2025, along with two 16-bed rapid builds in 2024 and 2025 respectively.” 

That will make 224 extra UHL beds since 2024, while UHW received none. Limerick 224-Waterford 0 is a score sheet that Ministers Butler and Cummins shouldn’t be happy with.

The stats resulting from the UHW investment blackout do not lie. The May 2026 waiting list figures published by the National Treatment Purchase (NPTF) fund show 5,747 adults and 360 children were awaiting in-patient treatment at UHW. This is the fifth highest list in the country behind Galway UH, Beaumont, Mater and St James. Limerick UH has 3,516 adults and 249 children on its list while Cork UH has 1,681 and 369 respectively. The NTPF May out-patient waiting list shows UHW with the third (behind Beaumont and Galway UH) highest numbers with 43,399 adults and 3,995 children waiting to be seen. The figures for Limerick UH are 29,246 adults and 4,769 children waiting to be seen. Cork UH figures show 20,751 adults and 5,014 children on their list. 

These figures are a damning indictment of the HSE and the Dept. of Health capital investment and resource allocation, which are obviously skewed by political pressure. UHW is being cheated. M/s Cummins and Butler are shamed by what’s going on and in particular, the bland acceptance by Health Minister and chief whip Mary Butler of the investment and resource discrepancy is a disgrace. 

If there is presently a crisis at any hospital outside Dublin, it is probably at UHW and not UH Limerick, yet the national media are blissfully or deliberately unaware of the situation, because as ever, UHW and its dedicated staff just keep on keeping on, delivering excellent services and putting people first.

Waterford has two Sinn Féin opposition TDs. The Waterford public awaits national, public condemnation by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, to the media and in the Dáil, of what is happening at UHW. Without that, deputies Cullinane and McGuinness should be told to kiss their Dáil seats goodbye. Pushing for a united Ireland utopia, while gross and obvious inequity exists in Waterford across the state investment spectrum and in all associated metrics, won’t garner much support.