• Development of the Port of Waterford (Belview) as a major International Gateway; • The return of scheduled passenger services to Waterford Airport and associated investment in infrastructure; • Invest in enterprise assets and technology to attract new enterprise and build a Smart Metropolitan Area; • Identify and support opportunities for innovation, enhancing productivity and innovative capacity of locally trading and employment intensive sectors to drive sustainable job creation; • Work with Industry partners, Government & enterprise agencies and TUSE through ECOLC/ SKWT to strengthen the industry and employment base of the Metropolitan Area and its diversity and resilience; • Industry clusters supported by research centres of excellence encouraging more employees/ businesses to locate and relocate to the Waterford MASP area; • Provision of effective supports and infrastructure for Enterprise & Industry; • Expansion of Tourism and Retail; • Identification of Strategic Employment Locations; • Promotion and support for social enterprise and community employment programmes, recognising the importance of funding streams such as the Social Innovation Fund.
Building Economic Resilience across the Waterford Metropolitan Area requires an ongoing commitment to ECOLC/SKWT (Eolas Comhroinnte Obair le cheile / Shared Knowledge Working Together) to ensure a partnership approach to implementation of objectives and actions. A key partner in this task is the South-East Development Office (SEDO) who along with the DBEI have published the South-East Regional Enterprise Plan (SEREP). The SEREP has a high degree of integration with the RSES and MASP in its strategic objectives and key actions and supports MASP objectives to build economic resilience and support the development of industry clusters such as the Crystal Valley Tech Cluster. Key elements in making the Waterford Metropolitan Area a successful enterprising Economic Engine driving Metropolitan and Regional Enterprise Growth include: • Development of the North Quays as an Innovation District and potential Industry Cluster for Advanced Technology (See sections 7.1 and 7.2) and as an expanded and vibrant City Centre ; • Creation of a high-quality, high-performing university of international standing, the Technological University of the South East, with a considerably expanded higher education footprint in Waterford;
Waterford MASP Policy Objective 12
b. It is an objective to implement and develop novel technologies, build a sustainable knowledge base and engage citizens in digital transformation, while minimising the risk of digital inequalities in the Waterford Metropolitan Area.
A Smart Metropolitan Area and Strengths in Attracting FDI
a. It is an objective to seek investment in the sustainable development of initiatives of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland in strengthening enterprise assets, fostering competitive locations and conditions for enterprise growth in the Waterford Metropolitan Area.
Waterford MASP Policy Objective 13
Economic Resilience and Clusters It is an objective to develop, deepen and enhance the economic resilience of the Waterford Metropolitan Area through creating a vibrant and diversified enterprise base, with strong, healthy, connected Eolas Comhroinnte Obair le cheile / Shared Knowledge Working Together (ECOLC/SKWT) Clusters which assist in bringing disruptive technologies and innovations to national and global markets.
Southern Regional Assembly | RSES
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