Dungarvan is to get €1,394,822 for a new digital transformation hub.
The west Waterford town has been selected as one of 27 landmark regeneration projects under the Government's Rural Regeneration Fund.
The project aims to revitalise Dungarvan town through the provision of 90 co-working spaces, the development of an incubation, innovation and commercialisation hub, the creation of a Digital Knowledge facility to support existing and new companies and the development of training workspaces.
It is expected the facilities, which will be spread across three town centre buildings - 18/19 O'Connell Street and the Dungarvan Enterprise Centre - will facilitate up to 200 people when fully operational.
Waterford City and County Council has costed the project at approximately €1,743,582 with the Department of Rural and Community Affairs committing €1,394,822 to the project.
Waterford Fine Gael Senator John Cummins has described the investment as "a huge vote of confidence in Dungarvan":
“This is a really exciting project for Dungarvan which seeks to promote economic development within the town centre, helping to retain and grow local talent, promoting an ecosystem of new start-ups and providing a base for many employees who currently commute long distances to work but can now look forward to working in a state of the art co-working facility. The focus on data analytics and digital transformation is key as this is a huge growth area.”
“As a government, through Our Rural Future, we want to support strategic towns like Dungarvan and make them an attractive base not only to live and to enjoy the wonderful amenities our County has to offer but also to work and do business in.”
National Projects
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced €21.5 million for 27 landmark regeneration projects in rural communities across the country.
A number of the projects approved for funding involve the re-purposing of old, derelict and historical buildings into modern-day remote working hubs, as well as enterprise, cultural and community facilities.
The funding will bring these projects through the development stage and to the point where they are ready to commence works
Announcing the funding for the 27 projects, Minister Humphreys said:
“In 2022, we will continue to roll-out unprecedented levels of investment in Rural Ireland – making our towns and villages even better places to live, work, raise a family and run a business.
“Today’s announcement is proof of our strong commitment to supporting our rural communities both economically and socially.
“The projects being invested in represent the huge ambition that underpins ‘Our Rural Future’ and will have a truly transformational impact right across the country.
“When complete, these projects will leave a lasting difference on these locations for generations to come, benefitting tens of thousands of families in Rural Ireland.”
On the potential of the Dungarvan project Minister Humphreys said:
“ I visited County Waterford with Senator Cummins late last year, and I can see the wonderful potential the county has to offer, especially to those who wish to work from towns and villages across the county”.
Reaction
Green Party TD for Waterford Marc Ó Cathasaigh said a very welcome boost for business and innovation in Dungarvan:
“We’re beginning to see real joined-up thinking in terms of regional and rural development under the Our Rural Future policy. In Dungarvan, we’ve seen significant investment in public realm and outdoor seating to help businesses through the pandemic. Connecting Ireland will see a number of new bus routes servicing the town and we’re seeing significantly increased investment in our town centres, both for business and for housing.”
“People nationally are waking up to the quality of life on offer here in Waterford. This Digital Transformation Hub is another piece of the jigsaw in terms of attracting people into the west of the county.”
