Waterford ‘neglected’ by foreign direct investment
The IDA confirmed they would be meeting with the Waterford delegation in Boston during the mayor's St Patrick's Day visit.
At a recent Metropolitan District council meeting, Independent Councillor Donal Barry said “over the past few months here in Waterford we’re after taking several blows on the employment front".
He listed redundancies announced at ABP, House of Waterford, Claire’s and Eurogiant.
“Employment growth must be the number one priority of this council. What are the plans to attract business and industry into Waterford? What engagement is happening with the government and the IDA? What companies are being targeted and when will we see some job announcements?”
Senior executive for Waterford Council, Claire Hartley, said: “The mayoral visit to Boston will incorporate meetings with existing and potential FDI’s [Foreign Direct Investors] and the IDA is well.”
Councillor David Daniels added, “Waterford has been neglected. It's a failed policy of the IDA, we’re down the bottom of the league table. It's not good enough, the jobs we got here from the IDA. It’s really worrying in the news that there’s three IDA companies supplying 45% of the corporation tax."
In a statement to the Waterford News & Star, the IDA said: “With a population of 127,363, Waterford hosts 42 IDA client companies, employing 9,391 people, 57% of the total employment by IDA client companies in the Southeast. Key IDA client companies in the county include Bausch & Lomb, Sanofi and Haleon. A recent announcement by IBM in Waterford in June 2025 - IBM saw an additional 75 jobs in the area of research and development.
“IDA Ireland continues to actively invest in and market the region. Waterford has seen the largest number of Advanced Building Solutions, three built out to date, including one at Butlerstown currently being marketed through IDA’s global offices."
