Study highlights barriers to south-east economic growth

THE lack of a university and poor road access to Dublin from Waterford are critical barriers to economic progress in the south east, according to Frank O’Regan, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in the region.

Welcoming the publication of a major study, ‘South East Agenda 2020’, commissioned by Chambers of Commerce from the nine main towns in the region, Mr O’Regan said the report identified the university and motorway deficits as two major obstacles to social, cultural and economic progress.

“There is now emerging a strengthening consensus between business, industry, educational and local organisations that the time has come for the south-east to demand the basic infrastructure to enable us to accelerate economic growth in a region which now lags behind other regions,” said Mr O’Regan, who is vice-president of Bausch & Lomb, the pharmaceutical company which employees 1,700 people in Waterford.

“The American Chamber of Commerce fully supports the findings of SEA 2020 and adds its voice to the chambers of commerce in Carlow, Clonmel, Dungarvan, Enniscorthy, Gorey, Kilkenny, New Ross, Waterford and Wexford in demanding improved access and international links, a university, a quality environment as well as developing and promoting leisure opportunities,” said Mr O’Regan.

The report, launched by Environment Minister Dick Roche, identifies six economic priorities for enterprise growth in the region. They include improving transportation access, developing international transport linkages and creating a university of the south-east.

The report also calls for investment in lifelong learning at all levels, developing a sustainable environment and developing and promoting leisure opportunities.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin has described Waterford Institute of Technology as “a jewel in the IT sector” but that upgrading the college to a university is not a priority for the government.

The Department for Transport, meanwhile, has confirmed that work on the Waterford to Kilcullen section of the dual carriageway to Dublin will begin in June 2006 and should be complete by 2010.