What's going on?

A report in the national papers a few weeks ago announced how Irish Rail’s plans to upgrade the national rail system would widen Dublin’s commuter belt. There is much to praise in the idea of extending the rail system and Waterford is slated to benefit from extra intercity services from our new Ferrybank station. The journey by rail to Dublin is pleasant even now. The extension of the Dublin commuter zone is a mixed blessing. Ireland is already one of the most centralized countries in Europe. Only Greece is worse. Dublin is already, economically, a different country. The development there is extraordinary and that’s expected to some degree. Its real impact on this part of the world has been much analysed by SEEM, but hardly acted on. The national imbalance is stark. Dublin, with 28% of the population, is in the process of receiving 56% of government capital spending.

To understand how modern and efficient transport links impact an area like Waterford; look no further than the M9 motorway. Before the motorway opened in 2010, Waterford was effectively cut off from Dublin by the torturous N9 route through county Kilkenny. Calling a spade a spade, one might say that this economic strangulation of Waterford city suited our neighbours on Noreside. Waterford interests vigorously pursued a new motorway as part of the new network being developed across the country. The government planned to use the motorways to spread economic activity, thus ensuring balanced regional development. Instead, the motorway network effectively spread the reach of Dublin much further in Ireland. In our case, we went from ridiculously poor access to the 21st century, overnight. It is not clear that Waterford was prepared for the change or has adapted as quickly as it should have. This is particularly true in terms of retail business where a Saturday jaunt to Dundrum, Kildare or Kilkenny is almost de rigeur with a consequent huge local loss. Waterford Port has indeed benefitted, but the wider impact on industry, services and general commerce is unclear.

Foreign Direct Investment jobs developed through the IDA are considered the best paying in Ireland. The vast majority are centred near Dublin. Wits suggest that most foreign MNCs (multi-national companies) would prefer to have their business HQ in Swords Co Dublin, to ensure fast airport access. Waterford City has a sprinkling of MNCs but in comparison to its once peer cities of Limerick and Galway, our pickings are rather slim. Cork is a major pharmaceutical hub. Limerick has fostered massive cross-sectoral business development. Galway is widely recognised in the medical devices industry as being in the top four international locations for such business! Galway was fortuitously selected by government for that industry after the well publicised collapse of Digital computer industry in that city. The results have been phenomenal. In comparison, an impeccable source suggests that an international medical devices industry looked at Waterford a couple of years ago but were diverted elsewhere in the region because the IDA apparently, had no strategic site which could facilitate them. That’s really how government develops a regional city, isn’t it?

This debacle erupted again recently on seeing a planning application of 19th August by the international property firm CBRE for the “construction of a light industrial and manufacturing facility of c.18,650.58sq.m gross floor area, comprising manufacturing and warehousing areas, with ancillary research and development, office space, exhibition areas, and staff welfare amenities” at Waterford Tech Park opposite Whitfield hospital for a firm called Déise Diagnostics. I understand the name was chosen to protect the developer’s true identity. The application, which was very expensive and massively detailed, elicited zero comment locally from any source, political or commercial, despite being nearly two hundred thousand square feet. It was withdrawn without comment from anyone on the 13th October. Where has it gone? What happened?

The proposed new industry site was directly opposite the small Horizon pharmaceutical plant which has a terrific efficiency and technical reputation. That was also due for a massive expansion as a Biopharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing Campus. That company was bought and rebranded as Amgen who have a large plant in south Dublin. They propose to close the Waterford plant and concentrate their efforts in Dublin. West Pharma has a large plant in Waterford with ample space for further development. It recently decided to expand its Dublin base with a huge extension. It was also interesting that when MSD wished to develop a new vaccine plant they chose Carlow instead of expanding from Clonmel to Waterford. What is prompting these decisions? Is it politics? Are there shortcomings or deficits that we don’t know about? How long is it since Waterford has had a new capital intense IDA development? Where do we stand in the national rankings for such development notwithstanding the current variability in the US White House? SETU’s SEEM report is emphatic: “Within the region, growth has been uneven: Carlow and Wexford remain static; Kilkenny has seen a significant uplift (due to Abbott); and Waterford has declined, with closures such as Cartamundi.” The political and commercial silence is absolutely shocking.

Unfortunately, it is hard to have great faith in our elected representatives. Our SF TDs have largely adopted the motto that it is the duty of the opposition to propose nothing and oppose everything. Our two government reps have disappeared into the woodwork. The feeling of smugness following the commencement of a surgical hub in Maypark Lane and an engineering building at SETU Cork Road is almost palpable, as if to say our job is done. Both investments and the North Quays project are pleasant to contemplate, but barely dent the long term, abysmal, investment deficit. Current planning applications or tenders to develop SETU or UHW are simply not there and in the latter case the major application to develop a new OPD on top of the main hospital which was granted planning in June 2022, now looks as if it may wither on the vine along with other proposed local developments. Waterford Airport being a case in point!

State investment is the private sector’s seed capital. The absence, or delayed arrival of the former, has catastrophically and systemically undermined and impacted the latter in Waterford