Charles Ward urges newly-elected Taoiseach Micheál Martin to prioritise Donegal

Donegal’s 100% Redress Party TD Charles Ward has urged newly-elected Taoiseach Micheál Martin to prioritise Donegal over the term of the new Dáil, as the county “has been left behind”.

The newly-elected TD was speaking in the Dáil on Thursday night after the Fianna Fáil leader becameT aoiseach for the second time.

The Drumkeen-based politician highlighted major issues facing the county including waiting times at Letterkenny University Hospital and the chronic traffic issues in the town, the need for a public inquiry into the Creeslough explosion, the defective blocks crisis and the fishing industry.

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The waiting times at Letterkenny University Hospital in recent days had averaged 24 hours, he said, while emergency services are stuck as "what used to be a five-minute journey is now 45 minutes”.

Mr Ward called on the Taoiseach to “build a bridge over the Swilly and relieve Letterkenny and stop the choking” and to deliver on the A5 corridor to the north-west.

Speaking about issues in the fishing industry he said: “The boats in Killybegs are tied up; the fish factories are silent. This never used to be, but this is what's going on now.”

The TD said the families of the victims of the Creeslough explosion “are still waiting for a public inquiry”. “Ten people lost their lives and they're still waiting on a public inquiry."

The defective blocks crisis in the county “is the biggest humanitarian crisis of them all,” he said.“Tonight, as we speak, there are families going to hotels - a red weather warning coming. They can’t stay in their houses - they are structurally unsound. There are houses that have been remediated on top of Weetabix blocks. We are in a humanitarian crisis in Donegal - 10,000 families stuck in a loop, waiting”.

Ending his plea to the Taoiseach to intervene in the issues facing the county, he said: “I would like to say that I am totally here for the people of Donegal. Donegal is the most important thing for me. The families - we need help. I'm asking you now over the next five years to prioritise Donegal.”