Phoenix: What next for Waterford?

For years, those interested in local development have pursued government for a fair share of investment. That persistence has brought the North Quays development, the new engineering building at South East Technological University (SETU) and a new surgical hub at University Hospital Waterford (UHW). 

FDI is compromised by the current US administration, but Waterford’s share of that has certainly been relatively (compared to our peer cities) modest. Are our government TDs now in their comfort zone, happy to accept what was long withheld as evidence that their work is done?

Not a penny was invested in new SETU teaching space for almost 20 years. That developmental apartheid coalesced in the proposal for a 12,800sq/m engineering building, which is finally under construction. 

Planning for it started in 2007 and outline permission, as part of a government PPP, was granted in 2009. Sadly, Fine Gael had other political priorities and the delay in starting the Waterford project left Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) as the only third level facility in the country, which had not had a brick laid for decades. 

There is no excuse for what was done. 

Development at SETU/WIT Waterford was halted, while legacy universities had a spending beano on new courses, facilities and student accommodation. The whys and the wherefores will be debated for years.

In September 2024 the government decided that a new MVB degree, Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, would be facilitated at SETU Waterford and Kildalton in Piltown. Dr Mary-Kate Burke has been appointed Head of Department of Veterinary Medicine and the first intake of 40 students will happen in 2026. 

It was also announced that a new course in pharmacy would be developed at SETU and the university is currently engaged in the accreditation process for the MPharm (Master of Pharmacy) programme with the Pharmaceutical Society.

Some months ago the local Frisby group held an event in SETU to mark the development of their Glassworks 1 building at Kilbarry. An outline of future SETU developments on the land purchased from the Frisby Group was given by college president Prof Veronica Campbell. This showed new facilities for the veterinary and pharma courses. 

These things take time, but everyone knows that we are coming from behind in competing for students and new investment against regions with legacy universities. 

The SEEM report on the local economy is emphatic on the investment disparity although it has received scant comment from our public representatives. Too embarrassed to speak? 

The Government’s Capital Tracker of May 2025 lists 268 major public investment projects at county level. The national imbalance is stark. Dublin, with 28% of the population, is receiving 56% of capital spending - even excluding Metro North - that is more than double its proportional share. 

This highlights the failure of repeated government commitments since 2018 to deliver balanced regional development. The South East, despite marquee projects like the North Quays, has the lowest per capita investment at €1,738 - around €7,000 below the national average - reflecting a persistent pattern of regional underinvestment.

The only current planning application at SETU Waterford is for a minor refurbishment of the top floor of the old Cork Road building. SEEM is again emphatic. 

“In 2023/24, there were 15,070 full-time higher education students from the South East (down from 15,270 in 2022/23), representing 7.3% of the national total – below the region’s 8.9% population share. Only 36% (5,430) studied within the region; 64% (9,640) left, creating economic leakage and higher costs for families during their studies. 

"In contrast, 74.4% of students from the South West (Cork and Kerry) stayed local, with just 25.6% studying elsewhere”. 

Remember that while SETU Carlow was given free run by government and the Higher Education Authority over the past 13 years to develop six new buildings, WIT Waterford was eviscerated. Maybe Minister Cummins could let us know when we will see catch up development on the SETU land at Kilbarry?

Everyone interested in a proper share of investment in acute medicine for UHW is delighted with the impressive new surgical hub building being developed at Maypark Lane. It’s great to see and is the first real indication of government support for UHW as a Model 4 hospital. This initiative is separate from the normal run of HSE projects and was developed in-house by the Department of Health. 

When UHW suffered under the South South-West Hospital Group thumb, it is alleged that many Waterford projects withered on the desks of Cork management. It is also alleged that the Estates Section of the HSE for this area, which as a hangover from the old South Eastern Health Board, and is based in Kilkenny, has been lethargic in pushing UHW projects. Anyone looking at the physical development of St Luke’s Model 3 Hospital in Kilkenny over the past five years must wonder what’s going on. Major development there was built without planning permission under a Covid derogation, while the haul for UHW brought “modular” Emergency Department and Out Patient Department tin prefabs. 

The HSE National Service Plan literature points to the need for further development at UHW, yet its National Capital Plan for 2025 is very skimpy on development other than the surgical hub. Minister Mary Butler is based in the Department of Health long enough to know the ropes. Is she a captive of the “Yes Minister” civil servants there?

There are two planning applications for development at UHW, an oncological day ward and a vertical Out Patients Department (OPD) over the existing hospital. Both were granted in 2022. The former has been cancelled and the latter, described as “vital for the hospital”, has not gone to tender stage. 

There is no evidence of current progress on the provision of extra beds at UHW although such provision at St Luke’s Kilkenny is progressing. The long promised (those words again) Adult Mental Health Unit at UHW is nowhere to be seen. When combined with projects at St Otteran’s Hospital, which have been on the HSE appraisal stage for donkey’s years, it suggests that Minister Butler needs to give an account of her stewardship on the provision of acute medical facilities at UHW.

Minsters Cummins and Butler must understand that the current projects being delivered to Waterford do not remedy years of chronic underinvestment. Where are the visible planning and tenders for the next stage of state investment? Will we be waiting 20 more years for that?