Phoenix: Overdue Waterford projects - investment is the fuel!

One quite noticeable feature of the present government is the silence from our four elected representatives on matters of vital local importance. 

Sure, everyone piped up when the announcement of 24/7 cardiology was made, but otherwise, there has been a return to the default position of PS. That PS means pre Shanahan. 

Whether you loved or hated Matt Shanahan, he mentioned the word Waterford almost daily in the Dáil and was relentless in pursuit of government on investment decisions relating to this city. 

He also released details of his Dáil contributions and parliamentary questions especially relating to UHW, SETU and our airport, on social media so everyone could at least see what he was doing. 

I think Deputy Shanahan believed, above all else, that investment in UHW and the development of SETU were the prime movers for the future of Waterford. The current silence suggests a different focus? Maybe everyone is working in the background?

Anyway, the Facebook page of Deputy Cullinane is interesting to see where he stands on the subject of SETU. 

Sinn Fein hardly covered itself in glory over the years when it came to WIT and was certainly not beyond putting in the boot at the Public Accounts Committee when it suited them. Maybe the party and/ or Mr Cullinane don’t really see third level education as relating to the party’s base? 

In any event Mr Cullinane posted the following of Facebook on October 24, 2022: “Delighted to attend the official launch of the South East Technological University. A long time coming and can be transformative for the region. Additional capital funding needed to expand campuses across the region. Waterford will be the engine of a new University delivering for the region.” 

That was the only relevant post I could find. It would be interesting to find out from Mr Cullinane, his party colleague Mr McGuinness, or our two government reps, how exactly SETU Waterford can be the engine of this new regional university without any fuel in the tank? 

Investment is the fuel and there has been none for 20 years. 

Newly elected Waterford Fine Gael TD John Cummins, now Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, confirmed last December that the Higher Education PPP Bundle 2, which contains a major capital build at SETU’s Cork Road campus, was formally approved at a meeting of cabinet on December 11, 2024. Tenders were received for the Higher Education Bundle 2, 12,800 sq/m Engineering, Computing and General Teaching building at SETU Cork Road Campus, in April 2024.

In a letter to Deputy Cummins in early April, the then Minister for Further and Higher Education and then Taoiseach Simon Harris said: “Further to our ongoing engagement in relation to PPP Bundle 2, I wish to confirm the final tender has been received. A full technical and financial evaluation is currently being undertaken of this bid.” 

He went on to say: “As you know, I am acutely aware of the importance of this project to SETU and I will ensure the new Minister for Further and Higher Education is fully appraised in early course. I assure you I remain fully committed to the delivery of PPP Bundle 2 and look forward to continuing to work with you on this project.” 

Speaking following the Cabinet decision in December 2024, Deputy Cummins said: “I am on record as expressing my deep frustration with the slow nature of the PPP process, which is being managed by the National Development Finance Agency. The reality is this bundle experienced a number of setbacks and significant due diligence and cost benefit analysis was required to ensure it found favour with cabinet.

“This project has been one of my main priorities to deliver for Waterford and I have engaged with the Taoiseach, Minister O’Donovan and Minister Donohoe throughout the process to underscore the importance of this project for our new university. 

"I’m delighted that it has received the green light today and I look forward to contracts being signed and construction commencing in Q1 of 2025.” 

Deputy Cummins said: “There have been a lot of inaccuracies put out there in the public domain about the Higher Education PPP Bundle 2, not least the incorrect assertion that the resubmission of planning for the building in Waterford in September would see this project stalled indefinitely. 

"The reality is additional due diligence in the guise of a cost benefit analysis was required and thankfully the benefits have been determined to outweigh the economic costs.” 

He went on to say: “This has been a top priority project for me to get over the line and I am certain it will be a major asset to SETU when it is completed. It follows the excellent news in the past few months of the awarding of veterinary medicine and pharmacy to SETU. 

"I am very much looking forward to continuing to work closely with the leadership team led by Professor Veronica Campbell to progress further items for SETU, such as student accommodation and further capital expansion on the new University Enterprise quarter (former Waterford Crystal site), which was purchased by the state last year.” 

As we head into the middle of Quarter 2, 2025, government has clearly missed Mr. Cummins' hoped for commencement of the new building in Quarter 1 of 2025. Even allowing for problems in project procurement, missed government deadlines are hardly new for Waterford. 

Delay is ubiquitous. 

The shameful carry on with our airport would anger a saint. Minister Mary Butler is on record in the last government saying that a new minister would be needed (not Eamon Ryan, Green Party) before a decision could be expected on airport investment. 

We have a new minister and a new government. Neither the decision nor the investment has happened. 

Patience is tried to the limit. 

No one doubts that Mr Cummins is anxious to see the SETU building started. As a University of Limerick alumnus, he well knows the level of development at that institution and, by extension, the level of investment needed here to make SETU Waterford into the university of size and scale we know to be necessary for this city.

The SETU Engineering Building contract has apparently been awarded to BAM. A construction start is long overdue. The time for excuses is over.