Progress on Glassworks projects in Waterford welcomed
Building One, Glassworks, the 80,000 sq ft flagship office building of Ireland’s first co-located University Enterprise Quarter. Pic: Michael Conlon
Sinn Féin's, Deputy David Cullinane has welcomed the significant progress being made on the development of South East Technological University’s Glassworks site following a constructive meeting with SETU President, Professor Veronica Campbell.
In particular, the meeting focused on the plans for the Glassworks campus, including the proposed pharmaceutical building, veterinary building and One Health building.
Commenting in the wake of the meeting Deputy Cullinane said it had been very productive and positive.
"I had a very positive and constructive meeting with Professor Veronica Campbell on the future development of SETU and, in particular, the enormous potential of the Glassworks site," he said.
“The pharmaceutical, veterinary and One Health buildings are all progressing well and, importantly, the funding is in place to bring each of these projects through the next stage of development," he added.
He said the priority now must be to get the projects to planning as quickly as possible and then move forward with their delivery.
“These developments will be game changers for SETU and for Waterford," he said.
"They will help open up the Glassworks site and unlock the significant educational, research, business and commercial opportunities that exist there," he added.
He said there was also "a very useful discussion on healthcare workforce planning" during the meeting and the role SETU can play in meeting the future health needs of the South East.
"This included the potential for a medical school, strengthening the links between University Hospital Waterford and SETU and expanding the range of healthcare professionals who can be trained here in the region," he said.
“There is a real opportunity for SETU to seek additional training places in community health and social care disciplines such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietetics," he added.
Deputy Cullinane said building that capacity locally would be hugely important in developing the healthcare workforce needed across the South East.
“The Glassworks campus can become a major centre for education, healthcare, research, innovation and enterprise and we need to realise that ambition," he said.
