Independent Councillor Joe O’Riordan has criticised Waterford City and County Council for concentrating Winterval investment in Waterford City.
He raised the issue at the most recent Dungarvan–Lismore district meeting of Waterford City and County Council.
Councillor O’Riordan said the Christmas trading period was particularly difficult for businesses in Dungarvan.
He pointed to several factors that impacted local retailers.
These included poor weather, online competition, limited parking and the continued presence of unused outdoor furniture in the town square.
Saying:
“Owing to the inclement weather, online competition, the continued presence of the outdoor furniture unused in the town square, and lack of parking, it was a challenging period for retail businesses in Dungarvan.”
Criticism of Winterval Signage
Councillor O’Riordan said he was especially concerned about the placement of signage promoting Winterval on the outskirts of Dungarvan.
He described the decision as “egregious” and said the signs diverted trade away from the town.
“The positioning of signs diverting business from the town was, in my view, slightly egregious,” he said.
“A heavily subsidised event like Winterval should not benefit from prominent signage on the periphery of our town.”
He added that the signs were “numerous and prominent” and were not welcomed by retailers he spoke to.
Call for Fairer Support for Dungarvan
Councillor O’Riordan stressed that Dungarvan is the county town and has a strong retail base.
“We are the county town. We have a significant retail presence, and this retail presence needs support from the council,” he said.
He called on the local authority to invest in additional Christmas events in Dungarvan and across West Waterford.
Proposal for More Local Events
Councillor O’Riordan urged the council to develop a plan to expand festive events in the area.
He said these events should complement existing attractions such as the Big Switch On in Dungarvan and Santa at The Strand in Lismore.
“We need to support strongly both existing and new events at Christmas in Dungarvan to attract visitors and boost retail locally,” he said.
Funding Disparity Highlighted
Councillor O’Riordan said Winterval continues to deliver major benefits for Waterford City businesses and receives hundreds of thousands of euro in public funding.
He argued that investment should better reflect the scale and importance of towns across the county.
“Winterval is a boon to businesses in Waterford City and is funded to the tune of hundreds of thousands,” he said.
“We need to see some form of investment linked to the ratio of scale between the county towns and the city.”
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