The Taoiseach has admitted that more investment is needed in University Hospital Waterford.
The issue was raised in the Dail yesterday by Independent TD Matt Shanahan.
During Leader's Questions, Deputy Shanahan said the South East has been discriminated against.
He believes there has been serious disparity in regional health funding.
"Parliamentary responses I copied to the Taoiseach's office in recent weeks show that University Hospital Waterford, the south-east regional model 4 hospital, received just €83 million capital investment in the past ten years", outlined Deputy Shanahan.
"By contrast, in the same decade, the Government awarded €227 million on average to the comparator model 4 hospitals in Galway, Limerick and Cork. A sum of €87 million versus one of €227 million is evidence of pure discrimination against the south-east region."
"Given the evidence of ten years of discriminatory capital underinvestment in the hospital in Waterford, I ask whether the Taoiseach understands the right of people in the south east to be angry when they look at the current Dublin-Cork Cabinet? The evidence of shafting when it comes to investment extends beyond our hospital into the south east's aviation sector, its public transport and road development, its generation of foreign and direct investment generation and, most egregiously and especially, its higher education sector."
In response, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar agreed that the funding of the hospital has not been adequate in recent years.
"There has been considerable investment in University Hospital Waterford under this Government", said the Taoiseach. "Just since 2019, there has been a 40% increase in staffing at the hospital. The hospital's budget is now approximately €270 million. There has been a 33% increase in the budget since 2019. There has been considerable investment in Waterford."
"That includes the second cath lab, which people in the region campaigned very hard for over a long period. That is open now, and we want to extend the hours to weekends as soon as possible. There is a new outpatient unit. There is also the Dunmore wing, which I have had the pleasure to visit, and the new palliative care unit."
"I assure the Deputy that I do not think that investment in University Hospital Waterford has been adequate either," he continued. "That is why there needs to be more. Among the future investments coming is the new surgical hub, which will help people to get operations they need much more quickly, and the replacement of the adult mental health unit with a 50 single-bed unit, which I think will be a considerable improvement too. Of course, we need to examine future capacity at the hospital."
"It is a hospital that performs very well and that experiences very little emergency department overcrowding. It really helped out when the fire happened in Wexford hospital. Hospitals that perform well should be rewarded. That is why I want to see more investment happening in Waterford University Hospital in the coming years. The Deputy can be sure that is going to happen."
The Taoiseach says there is a record of investment in the South East that the government are keen to continue, and that includes Waterford Airport.
"What the Deputy and I do not disagree on is that Waterford and the south east need more investment, and I can guarantee him that so long as this Government remains in office, and so long as there is no fundamental change in our economic and foreign policy, that will continue to be possible."
"That is why it is important this Government should remain in office. There has been considerable IDA investment in Waterford and the south east. As the Deputy pointed out, we established the long-promised university for the south east and that includes the purchase of the Waterford Crystal site in Waterford, which is very welcome. We will get the engineering building done, but the Deputy will be aware there are complications in the negotiations there."
"Work has begun on the North Quays development, which will transform the city of Waterford, opening up a whole new quarter", he explained. "It even involves the moving of the train station, so it is a huge investment. There has also been considerable road investment in the south east, such as the New Ross bypass and in Enniscorthy. In respect of Waterford Airport, we are keen to invest in that. The Minister, Deputy McGrath, visited it not too long ago. We made a commitment on funding. It turns out it is not enough. A further business case has been submitted for more funding and we are examining it with due haste."
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