It's simple, Minister Hanafin - It's FAB!

So Mary Hanafin is re-iterating once again at the so-called FF mini-think in at the Forum yesterday that WIT already has everything it needs? Ah me. Mini think in is right. Mini ideas; mini leadership; mini understanding.

Let me explain (again) to the Minister why WIT needs equality (nothing more). It's FAB! Finance; Autonomy; Branding. Simple enough for Mary? Yes. Just remember FAB.

Finance - because yes, as the Minister says, WIT is an extra-ordinary Institution with Awarding Authority up to and including PhD level. Problem? WIT is carrying out that mission with FAR less funding than all the Universities and even many of the other ITs. Institute of Technology Funding isn't based on anything. Not a per student payment. It's just historical. There is no fair yard stick. If you were always well funded, you continue to be and if you were historically badly funded - then you continue to be. So we are being treated unequally on the finance front with every other region in Ireland - and don't forget that outside of Dublin, the South East is the largest REGION in the country without a University at almost half a million people.

Autonomy - so that WIT can make its' own decisions and chart its' own course designed for this region without having to go cap-in-hand to the HEA (Higher Education Authority) for permission to run courses, change direction, respond to regional needs. Universities are autonomous. WIT and the South East needs that too. Why should we accept that our region not have the decision making power of every other region.

Branding - because yes the word 'University' does matter. It is an internationally recognised brand that allows the world understand instantly what you are. But alone, the branding would mean nothing. The name is important but we should be fighting for what the word means - equality of treatment and funding - rather than just for the word itself. If it were just a word we could have simply bought ourselves a new sign and gone out and rebranded years ago. We want what the other regions have Mary. What is so wrong with that? (That's why I am concerned about the leaks from the Hunt Report which allege that we are to be given some second class branding without any equality!)

I bet if Mary was still living down in Tipperary she'd be far more supportive of our bid than she is up in Dublin with their extremely well provided for University Sector. What's sauce for them up in the Capital is obviously too good for us down here in the South East!

Well I for one have had enough of Mary, and of Fianna Fail and of their 'we know better than you' pomposity. I am heartily sick of them. Go to the country Mary I say. You and your merry band and see what the thinking people of Ireland think of you.

People of Waterford and the South East: how will we get our University? By voting Fianna Fail out of power. Bring it on!

WIT - LESS TALK, MORE ACTION

While I welcome Enda Kennys statement in Waterford yesterday committing Fine Gael to a University of the South East, I personally would still prefer a form of wording which committed to the 'designation of WIT as the University of the South East' but perhaps I am being pedantic. My faith in political promises is at something of a low ebb.

I also note that the process which Mr Kenny seems to be proposing is to develop criteria for the creation of a University and the the examination of WIT's or any other case through Section 9 of the Universities Act 1997. And I have to ask: how long is that going to take? On my experience it sounds like a 3 - 5 year process. WE CANNOT WAIT THAT LONG!

Jobs are being lost this city and region today. Our young people and their talent are being lost to this region every day. We are operating at a disadvantage every day. How long more must we be expected to do this?

So while I welcome Fine Gaels seeming comittment, I still say we need this now. We need this issue to be the number one issue that is being talked about and fought for in the city. Why? Because it has the capapcity to deliver jobs. End of.

We need to rack the University issue up as an election issue and make it clear to Fianna Fail that if they don't deliver this to our region immediately they will face electoral annhialation. We need the people of Waterford to get up on our soap boxes and to really push for this.

Why should you be raising your children for export? We need jobs for them here. The best way to get that is to have a University. Today. Now. By this current government. Why should we accept any less? We need government to deliver for this region and I will continue to rattle cages and upset any politician in the land of any party in order to keep the pressure up for the designation of WIT as a University and I make no apologies to anyone - regardless of what they may say about me - in my effort to do that.

The debate is on again. We can tease out the niceties and debate the nuances to our hearts content but what we really need is action. Action. Give us a University. Designate WIT or suffer the consequences. People of Waterford I am asking for your support for this campaign. Together we can bring this issue to the fore and it is critical for the future of our children and our region - and Ireland - that we have equality and can contribute to, rather than be a drain on, the recovery that will need to be fought hard for, for our city and for our country.

Second Anniversary of Sinking of Sail Training Programme

I know that September 11th is a striking anniversary, being as it is the date on which the Twin Towers were attacked and 3,000 innocent people lost their lives in New York City. Nothing can compare with that event. The world will forever remember the terrible events that took place as the unspeakable tragedy unfolded before our eyes. Our sympathies rest with all those who lost loved ones.

September 11th also marks the second anniversary of the sinking of the Irish Sail Training Ship, the STV Asgard II. Thankfully, due to the professionalism of the crew,the calmness of the trainees and the generosity of the rescue services in France no lives were lost that day but it is nonetheless a sad day for our small Island nation. Because we didn't just lose a ship that day, we also lost our national Sail Training programme.

Sadly, nothing has been done by the Government in the interim to ensure its continuance - save of course, pocketing the insurance money into central coffers. Now Ireland, a maritime nation, with the International Tallships fleet due to visit us twice in the coming years has neither a ship nor a sail training programme. As it stands currently, there will be no Irish sail training ship to take part in our name in those events.

If Irish young people are to get the opportunity to take part it will have to be aboard the ships of other nations. I am calling on the Government to initiate this discussion immediately and in time for the International Tallships Festival in 2011.

While the entire country is convulsed with Anglo Irish Bank and talks of recession, we cannot allow everything good that had been built up over decades to be simply taken away from us by those who can't see beyond the next IOU to the bank manager and the bondsman!

Sail training was an immense, life-changing experience for most of those who were lucky enough to be able to sail aboard Asgard. We owe it to all of young people to do everything we can to restore it - considering it was funded through their own contributions and through Lotto funding! The Tallships in Ireland without Asgard is a hard enough pill to swallow. The Tallships in Ireland with NO sail training vessel would be a disgrace.

Mayors Picnic In The Park - You're Invited!

I am inviting everyone who has a few hours free on Saturday, September 11th next to attend the 'Mayors Picnic and Play In The Park'. Weather permitting it is going to be a fun day for all the family with theatre, crafts, drumming, games and lots more to keep everyone entertained - from the tiny toddlers all the way up.

Caulfields Supervalu will have some ready-made picnics for early arrivals but why not put your own basket of goodies together - from the simple fresh rolls and bananas to something that takes a little more preparation if that's your thing!

It may be the last chance we'll have to lark around in the park until next spring! So come on, bring the kids and the blanket and let's all celebrate the harvest together!

Don't say you weren't asked!

We are so lucky to have so many people working on festivals here in Waterford and the Autumn and early Winter are no exceptions. We have, of course the Harvest Festival for 10 days with as fantastic a programme as I've ever seen; Imagine Arts Festival comes soon after and the the Waterford International Music Festival (incorporating as it does the 50th year of the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera) but now also boasting a high-school musicals festival, a gospel festival, Design Week and the re-invigorated Fringe Festival. Mostly organised and arranged by volunteers.

To assist their huge efforts Destination Waterford has put in place series of supports for festivals in the form of both Deirdre Molloy and Lynn Cahill who are putting their combined considerable energies and talents into developing the festival products and marketing them. I am sure the dividends from this investment will be hugely beneficial!

I sincerely hope that the good people of Waterford and the South East will come out and enjoy everything that we are working so hard to put in place for their delight and delectation (to coin a phrase!). Waterfords Arts & Cultural scene in hopping at the moment and is the envy of many other places. Lets support it and make sure it stays vibrant and indeed continues to strengthen and grow.

And don't forget now - see you next Saturday in the park. You Are Invited. (I'll be the one with the simple basket that needs virtually NO preparation....now I'm off to buy a few bananas!)

Visit www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie for more information on whats going on from September 10th - 19th.

Mayor of Waterford, Councillor Mary Roche, today called on the people of Waterford to support Aer Arann, the passenger airline at Waterford Airport, as it goes through a period of Examinership. The Mayor stated her firm belief in the importance of the airline to business and tourism in Waterford and praised the services that Aer Arann continues to provide to and from the South East.

According to the Mayor, "the key routes to London, Manchester and Birmingham are critical to business investment in this region. In my recent round of discussions with large businesses based in Waterford, the importance placed upon direct access to key air routes is striking."

"Over 50% of traffic at the airport is now passengers visiting from the UK for business and leisure – in the context of our citys renewed focus on inward tourism, it is critical that we do all we can to support these services into the future. Our airport is a vital element of our infrastructure and we need to underline its importance to Government and seek to build upon the asset that we have."

"Recent studies have shown that Waterford Airport supports approximately 560 jobs in the South East, before considering the impact of air services on business location decisions."

"While I know that Waterford Airport has long had excellent custom from Kilkenny, Wexford, South Tipperary and Carlow, the new road infrastructure has greatly added to the airport usage in the region and to the convenience for inbound visitors to the Southeast."

"From my contacts with airport management, I am assured that it is business as usual at the airport and that all Aer Arann flights in and out of Waterford will continue through the Examinership. As Aer Arann uses the Examinership process to seek new investment, it is very encouraging to hear that the routes at Waterford Airport are among the best performing in their network and that Waterford is central to the future plans for the airline."

Reaction to the Hunt Report - No Second Class Solutions Acceptable!

The Mayor of Waterford Councillor Mary Roche has issued a statement commenting on the recent leaks from the National Strategy Group for Higher Education chaired by Dr Colin Hunt. The leaks claim that the group has rejected WIT’s case for University Status and will instead offer the entire sector the prospect of designation as ‘Technology Universities’ once stringent criteria have been met.

Councillor Roche states “The City of Waterford and the South East Region will speak once the Hunt Report is published. However, what we expect from the Hunt Report is nothing less than the ability of WIT – under whatever name or designation – to be able to deliver equality for this region. We will not accept anything that keeps us in the second tier and importantly would not deliver the same operating structure and autonomy as full University status.

We insist that WIT must have the remit to deliver inward investment into this region and the same capacity for research, development and innovation as every other region. The South East Region, more than any other needs that capacity to be unleashed.

“How many jobs,” asks Mayor Roche “have been lost to this City and this region as a result of the Governments’ prevarication on this issue? How many more will be lost if the Hunt Report doesn’t deliver? I want to send out a clear signal that we expect the Hunt Report to deliver nothing less than equality in terms of autonomy and finance for WIT – after that they can call the Institution whatever they like. The name is not important it is equality of opportunity for the region, for the city and for future generations that we demand.

Essentially if we are driving with the same engine it doesn’t matter that the bodywork might have a new coat of paint. I would urge the Government to take careful note of this message and not to attempt to deliver anything less for Waterford and the South East, ” she said.

North Quays

I think it's probably fair to say that we have faint hope that the North Quays will be developed any time soon under the current economic circumstances. They will, of course be tidied up and made safe for the visit of the International Tall Ships Fleet next June.

But what of the immediate or even medium term? I believe that there must be a useful purpose that the North Quays could be put to in order to restore them from dereliction and bring them into use for the people of Waterford and South Kilkenny.

My suggestions would be simple enough and simply achieved if people had half a mind to. They include either a simple park layout or a series of sports courts & pitches or even the dreaded parking.

Personally I favour the sports courts, followed by the park. One way or another this would tidy the area up until some other use is found for them. It will be an awful shame if they are allowed to fall once again into disrepair (see above and that photo was taken a year ago - I don't know what they are like right now but I'll bet it's not better)!

If all parties were willing the North Quays can and should be brought into use. There may even be a job or two in it.

Thanks Lads!

Yes it was a disappointing day for the Deise. The lads didn't play the way we know they can and in fairness Tipp were the better team. I wish them luck now as they meet the giants of Kilkenny - they're going to need it!

But it has to be said; it was another great year for Waterford. Munster Champions! Another All-Ireland semi-final!! We keep a-knocking and sooner or later we're gonna get in!!!

I have no doubt but that the Deise will have our day. We're up there competing with the best teams year after year now. And every year we learn a little more and get a little more experienced and sometime - soon I hope - all the work and sweat and (probably) tears is going to pay off and that monkey is going to be off our backs for good.

We've waited a hell of a long time and we can sure as hell wait some more. At least now we are competing. Every year we have rightful expectation and hope. Every year we get to Semple Stadium and Croke Park. How many generations of Waterford people never saw that? Haw many counties can never even hope to see that?

Well done to Davy Fitzgerald and his backroom team. Well done to the mighty Waterford warriors. Sure it would be easy to be gracious in winning but what Waterford are doing is building, building.... and building character. And it's working. You can't deny we've made enormous strides!

You get nothing for sympathy or because you 'deserve it'- in sport or in life. You have to go out and fight. And I know that the Waterford team will tend their wounds and their dented spirits and then next year they'll don the white-and-the-blue and they'll go out there again with pride and that justifiable expectation in their hearts. And so will we.

Thanks for the great year lads! Thanks for the hard work. Thanks for the time and the loyalty and the effort and the pain. Someday it's gonna come right for us and until then we just have to keep believing. And we do.

We live to fight another year......Roll on 2011!

Could 2010 Be The Start of Waterfords' Decade?

Okay so. Lets get the nasty truths out of the way.

Our International reputation as a Country is shot (evidence the increased cost of borrowing for Ireland Inc.) Ivor (I will one day be President) Callely is making extremely heavy weather of this whole expenses saga. Ministers are traipsing around the country in heavy duty jets while their Ministerial Mercs are tagging after them on the road network.

The Anglo Irish Banks bill is heading for just under €25,000,000,000! Yes that's 25 BILLION if you've lost count of the numbers. The HSE are closing beds and wards and hospitals wherever they can. The cost of doing business just went up this weekend with the energy levy. The Cystic Fibrosis patients are still dying without their isolation rooms. The elderly and cared for are having their support hours cut. Special schools are having their budgets cut.

Irish Rail are doing their best to close down the Rosslare Waterford railway line. We STILL have no decision on a University for Waterford. And all of this is just taking in the last month or so for news! The list goes on.

The Country, it seems, is up the creek!

So what can we do in our little corner of it?

What can we do for ourselves? What decisions are within our power to change, influence or implement? Those are the decisions that we should concentrate on.

The City Council has led the way using tourism as a driver with the delivery of the House of Waterford Crystal, the improvements on The Mall (pictured above from an unusual angle), the development of the Tourism product (festivals & marketing etc.) and the new www.discoverwaterfordcity.ie website (a real gem).

We are continuing that focus and adding in an Enterprise focus to hunt down jobs for our city and to promote an enterprise culture. We need people to create jobs both for themselves and if possible, for others.

We continue to try and bring improvements to the public realm and either encourage or force others to do so also. However the powers available to do this are limited and will not in truth deliver the kind of radical solutions that some people (including me) might like.

By the end of the year Waterford will be the only City (possibly the only place in Ireland) to be able to say that we are 'flood proof'. By September we will have a Motorway all the way to the Capital with the tourists and market that it opens up to us.

Bad and all as things are nationally and even Internationally I believe that 2010 could see the dawn of a prosperous and visionary decade for our City. If we all put our shoulders to the wheel and get our brains in gear - then I know it will be. It is up to us to capitalise on these many developments because no one is going to do it for us.

So ask yourself this: What can I bring to the party? And then bring it!

Reassurances from FG locally on University

I note in a comment to my earlier blog and indeed in the local press, Senator Paudie Coffey (pictured above) has expressed his unhappiness with my blog last week concerning Fine Gael leader Enda Kennys comment on the designation of WIT as a University.

Enda said that (and I'm paraphrasing) once in government they would trigger a mechanism to have the case for WITs designation as a University examined. Now this seemed to me - and many others - to be a clawing back of the previously stated and much heralded (locally) policy adopted by Fine Gael, that if in Government, they would designate WIT as a university.

I gather from the statements by both Senator Coffey and Senator Maurice Cummins, that this policy has not changed. That being so, then I have to ask why Enda was so ambiguous in his statement which clearly in my opinion sent out the wrong message.

However I do accept Senator Coffeys assertion and I must add, in fact that I have the greatest of admiration for Paudie and in my opinion he would make a most able TD for this constituency. Paudie is very clued in on local issues, very vocal, very pro-active and articulates his message very clearly.

So while I am happy to accept that the FG policy has not changed I wonder why then Enda sent such a weak message? Clearly - and some of the history is fairly laid out by Senator Cummins in his letter to the News & Star this week - we have been led a merry dance on this issue for many a long year and not entirely by Fianna Fail either it must be said.

That being said, due to much lobbying locally, FG did adopt the designation of WIT as Party Policy. For it to actually proceed though, it would have to make it into a Programme for Government post the next election (assuming as predicted that FG are part of that Government), which one must be hopeful for considering that the Labour Party also claim to support this designation.

Although it will be recalled that the move from WRTC to WIT by a FG/Lab coalition did not exactly deliver what we all were led to believe that it would at the time but we won't re-hash old arguments. Let us hope that the FG and Labour TD's locally and their parties nationally mean what they say and that what they say is what we all understand it to mean; namely that WIT will be designated as a University with the autonomy, branding and finance that that designation brings and that there will not be another fudge as there was the last time which effectively tried to please everyone and ended up pleasing no-one!

Finally I make no apology for having a finely tuned antenna on this issue. Yes, I am uber-sensitive about it and why wouldn't I be? A University is the crucial piece of regional infrastructure that the South East desperately needs in our efforts to end the educational and jobs apartheid that we have suffered for decades. We have been messed about on it several times over many years - for much longer than I am involved - and anywhere I see a threat or potential threat or any ambiguity, I will call it.

That being said, the biggest threat of all comes from our lackadaisical current Government which has placed obstacle after obstacle in the way of WITs just claim for University status. They have yet to produce the report from the Strategy Group for Higher Education. I hear now that the report will be with the Minister by the end of the month and will not be published until September.

We await its deliberations with bated breath and hope that it will not merely provide the government with further cover to both do nothing and extend the time before which we will have our University.

However I do not wish to be negative in advance of knowing its contents so until we see it (or hear the leaks) I can but express the desire that they have been convinced, as were the many International experts who examined our case, of the validity of WITs claims for University status.

As Dr Jim Port put it (the Governments own appointed expert) "WIT is already operating at University level". We all know it. Will our work be rewarded? Time will tell.