The Government Needs to GROW A PAIR. University Designation for Waterford Now.

Okay people. So another jobs blow hit us in the solar plexus today. Bausch & Lomb who have been here providing much quality employment for over 30 years are shedding 200 jobs AND looking for a 20% pay cut from all remaining 900 workers. If I'm stunned, I can't even imagine what the workers and their families are going through.They must be reeling. The 200 job losses are bad enough but the pay cuts are unprecedented. How can a company that only 3 years ago sought to invest in massive expansion is now at this cliff edge? I can't figure it out.

People are hurting and calling for action to be taken. But what action? We've had Task Forces - the last one chaired by no less than the Minister for Jobs himself and what have they delivered? Sweet Fanny Adams. That's what. Because governments don't create jobs. (I know they take the credit but if you really believe that, you'd better go ask your Mama about the Tooth Fairy!!!)

So what do I think the government could do? Oh I have a list. A list that was fairly comprehensively covered by Senator David Cullinane in his recent Jobs Strategy which he authored as Special Rapporteur for the Committee for Jobs & Employment. A Strategy which no doubt now sits gathering dust in the Dail archives along with the hill o' beans that was the result of Minister Brutons Task Force.

I am no expert but there are things the government can and must now do to allow us to help ourselves. I am blue in the face arguing that if we here in Waterford are just given a level playing pitch - we will do the rest.

First on my list is that old but still not delivered UNIVERSITY..... I am calling on the Fine Gael government to immediately remove the requirement for a merger before Waterford Institute of Technology can apply to become a University and to allow the college to apply for that designation now. Preparations for an International panel to assess that application should begin immediately. The Dr Jim Port report stated that the college was 'already operating at University level' AND it is in the programme for Government.

That is something tangible and deliverable and completely within the governments gift.

Since the Port Report - while a pathway has been put in place - it is now predicated upon Waterford IT merging with another college before it can even apply for Technological (whatever that is) University designation. Why? Countries like Finland and New Zealand have twice our number of Universities for a similar population. Why the obsession with a merger? Why not remove it and allow Waterford the status and investment NOW and allow other colleges to join when AND IF they reach the required criteria. Waterford cannot wait. The government cannot create jobs. But it can do this as a meaningful way to help.

The Government needs to grow a pair. It needs to stand up to the vested interests in the political and educational spheres and show that it has the cojones to DO and not just TALK. The time for talking is over. JUST DO IT.