A significant injection of €153 million will be invested in County Waterford over the next three years under the Council’s Capital Programme, revealed Waterford county manager, Ray O’Dwyer, at a meeting of the Council in Dungarvan, last week.
The Council would spend €66m on projects in 2009, €39.4m in 2010 and €47.8m in 2011. This was a reduction of €71m on the capital plan presented in 2008 and it reflected the decline in the level of development in the country and the deterioration in the Government’s finances, pointed out Mr O’Dwyer.
The plan included the provision of social and affordable housing, water and waste water treatment plants, new roads and new amenities. The investment would improve the quality of services provided by the Co Council and facilitate economic development in the county, he said.
The Council heard that the expenditure of €53m would allow for the provision of over 400 social and affordable houses over three years. The main roads projects included Riverstown Relief Road, the Gold Coast Road, the Glen Road and the Spring Roundabout, Dungarvan.
Water schemes
The total expenditure on waste water schemes would be €51m over three years, a reduction of €33m on the plan presented in 2008. The Seven Villages Scheme was the largest waste water project and it accounted for 70% of the expenditure at €37m.
The Council’s main projects in environment were the completion of the landfill remediation at Dungarvan and Tramore and the further upgrading of the Material Recycling Facility in Dungarvan. Total expenditure would be €3.6m over three years.
Provision had also been made for playgrounds, the development of the Dungarvan-Waterford Railway Walk, the development of a Marina in Dungarvan, community childcare centres, a new library in Kilmacthomas, repair to Lismore Library and the redevelopment of the Machine Yard and a number of other projects
The county manager said projects would be funded from Government grants, development levies and loans. The main funding source was €108m in Government grants over three years and €16m from development levies. The benefits derived from these projects would be significant for the people of Co Waterford as it would improve their quality of life, facilitate economic development and growth and enhance the environment.
Cllr Anne Marie Power (FG) said some 28% of the overall funding would be spent in Tramore and would help to create jobs.
Cllr Nora Flynn (FG) said the capital plan was very welcome but they were looking into a crystal ball. The Council could only put forward what they would like to do because they were only sure of funding for the current year but 2010 may not be a good year.
