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By Waterford City & County Council

Tramore student takes honours at 2022 Waterford Student Enterprise Awards

Handy Hurleys from Ard Scoil na Mara in Tramore has won the Senior category of the Waterford Student Enterprise Programme and qualified for the National Student Enterprise Competition. Charlotte Balfe is the founder of Handy Hurleys, a convenient and cost-effective way to store hurleys in the home or club. The Tramore student was announced as the winner at the Local Enterprise Office’s Student Enterprise Programme Virtual Awards earlier this month.

Charlotte describes the business, “The idea was to make hurley stands that would be convenient and easy to use whilst not being bulky and in the way. I came up with the idea because I have played camogie my whole life and so have the rest of my family, therefore there are so many hurleys in my house. I tried to find a hurley stand that could hold all our hurleys without being bulky. I just couldn’t find one, so I decided to make my own. That’s how Handy Hurleys was born.”

The students all took part in the Waterford Final on Thursday March 10th which was held virtually and streamed live on the Local Enterprise Office’s Facebook page. An estimated nine hundred students from eleven schools through-out the county took part in the annual programme this academic year.

The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country, saw over 29,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2019 / 2020.  The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Final.

Special guests at the County Final, hosted by FM104’s Trishauna Archer included his worship the Mayor Cllr Joe Kelly, Head of enterprise for Waterford Local Enterprise Office Richie Walsh, and special guest, Waterford native and Olympian Jessie Barr.

Speaking at the county final, Richie Walsh of Local Enterprise Office Waterford congratulated the students, “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Waterford, with over 750 students from 11 local schools taking part this year. We were delighted to receive more entries this year than any previous year of the programme.

“Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme, and we wish them the very best of luck in the finals and we’ll all be logged on to support them.  In what has been another challenging year for students the programme has offered them an outlet outside of the usual school demands.  What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers.”

The Tramore student will be competing against other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland in the Student Enterprise Programme National Final, which culminates in a live event taking place on May 18th, 2022. Further information about May’s National Finals is available through www.studententerprise.ie, which also has free resources and video tutorials for students and teachers for the programme.

For more information, please contact your Local Enterprise Office at 35 the Mall in Waterford City or Civic Offices in Dungarvan. Alternatively, you can email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie . 

Photo by Noel Brown; Maria Malone, teacher at Ard Scoil na Mara; Charlotte Balfe Waterford Student Enterprise County Winner; Jacqui Gaule, Local Enterprise Office Waterford.

By Waterford City & County Council

Sun shines for warm Royal welcome in the Déise

Arriving under blue skies and warm sunshine, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Waterford City to a warm Déise welcome.

The royal couple were greeted upon arrival at Reginald’s Tower by the Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Joe Kelly, Mary Butler TD, Minster for Older People and Mental Health, Michael Walsh, Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council, and Director of Waterford Treasures, Eamonn McEneaney.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla commenced their walk through Bailey’s New Street at the base of Reginald’s Tower, Waterford’s landmark monument and Ireland’s oldest civic building.

A performance by Waterford’s Viking Re-enactment group was set against the backdrop of the Viking Longboat, proudly emblazoned with ‘Verdrafjordr’ (Waterford’s Viking derived place name).

As Their Royal Highnesses continued their walkabout, they paused at the world’s longest wooden sword sculpture at 23 metres, crafted by local wood sculptor, John Hayes. The ‘Dragon Slayer’ sword is perfectly housed in the heart of the Viking Triangle and in the shadow of the 13th century Franciscan Friary, which was founded by King Henry III in 1394.  In 1399, King Richard II held court here and it was closed by Henry VIII in 1536 and made into the Holy Ghost Hospital by charter.

Continuing their walkabout The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed a lively performance from award-winning street art company, Spraoi.  The Royal visitors were treated to the musical talents of the Mount Sion Choir.  The choir is part of Foróige, Ireland’s leading youth organisation which celebrates diversity through music.

They met with artist James Kirwan, a visual artist and part of the Waterford Walls project, a creative arts agency regenerating urban spaces and excelling in the delivery of large scale artwork across Ireland and Europe.

On their walkabout in Waterford, TRHs The Prince of Wales & The Duchess of Cornwall met with Emergency First Responders and Front Line Workers and spoke with them about their first hand experiences of serving the people of Waterford during  the COVID-19 pandemic.  They also met and spoke with some of the large crowd who came to greet the Royal couple in Cathedral Square.

Before learning of Waterford’s history at the Medieval Museum, the Royal couple heard from local people about how they are securing their future.  They met with members of ACT Waterford, an initiative which engages communities in creative solutions to climate change.

The couple then visited Waterford’s Medieval Museum.  There, they learned about Waterford’s rich history as Director of Waterford Treasures, Eamonn McEneaney showed them The Great Charter Roll of Waterford, made in Waterford in 1373, it is regarded as one of the great treasures of medieval Ireland because of the number and quality of the illustrations.

They were also shown King Henry VIII’s Cap of Maintenance, which was a gift to the Mayor of Waterford from King Henry VIII in 1536. This gift was a significant mark of royal approval and is the only piece of Henry VIII’s wardrobe to survive anywhere in the world.  They also saw the Sword of King Henry VIII.  This civic sword was sent to the Mayor of Waterford by King Henry VIII in 1536.  On official occasions it was carried in procession in front of the mayor. The sword symbolised the fact that the mayor’s authority within the city came directly from the king.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall continued to the Large Room at City Hall for a Mayoral Welcome.  They met and spoke with a diverse range of groups representing Waterford’s wide and far-reaching achievements in entertainment, integration, community, sport, arts and enterprise and spoke with members of the Ukrainian community in Waterford.

Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr. Joe Kelly, warmly welcomed the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to Waterford.

“Our connections run deep, our connections span generations and our connections have shaped us.  And today we are honouring one of our most enduring and long-standing relationships with our closest friend and neighbour, the United Kingdom.

As Mayor of Waterford City and County it is my privilege to welcome the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to Waterford, Ireland’s Oldest City.”

He continued,  “While Waterford is a city of firsts, moreover it is shaped by the people who live here, work here, raise their families here and call Waterford home.  Our culture, our community and our connectedness burn bright and today we are surrounded by those who have shaped our community, enhanced our culture and fortified our connections throughout the world.”

Addressing the invited guests, The Prince of Wales said, “To be welcomed so warmly, not least by a Viking re-enactment, is a wonderful blessing and one that will certainly live long in our memory.  It is in places such as Waterford, Ireland’s Oldest City, where we are reminded so vividly of our ancient connections and how they have evolved over time toward a modern friendship.”

“From a Viking town to a city with a Royal charter, the place where the first Irish tricolour was flown, to the home of a new university and acclaimed best place to live in Ireland, Waterford is a city of promise and hope for the future.”

TRH The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were presented with a signed copy of “The Royal Charter of Waterford” by Julian Walton and a copy of “The History of Waterford and its Mayors”, published by Waterford Council and edited by Eamonn McEneaney.

The royal couple then signed the Mayor’s Visitors book in the Mayor’s Parlour and left City Hall to continue their Waterford visit with a tour of the House of Waterford Crystal, GIY, Fitzgerald’s Farm and home of Cheltenham Gold Cup Winner, Henry de Bromhead’s yard in Co. Waterford.

-ENDS-

Free to use images – Julien Behal Photography

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford Greenway celebrates fifth birthday

Photo by Colin Shanahan – DigiCol Photography (c) 2021 – http://www.digicolphotography.com

It’s hard to believe that the much-loved Waterford Greenway has been open just five years, yet many locals will find it hard to imagine life without this award-winning trail on their doorstep. The Waterford Greenway stretches from Ireland’s Oldest City in the East of the County, through the picturesque village of Kilmacthomas to the harbour town of Dungarvan in West Waterford. Freedom, fresh-air, magnificent scenery and chance encounters are some of the highlights often mentioned by visitors to this spectacular trail in Ireland’s Ancient East.

Waterford Greenway was officially opened on March 25th 2017 by Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Simon Coveney TD on the 50th anniversary of the last passenger train journey between Dungarvan and Waterford City. Since opening, the Waterford Greenway has attracted over 250,000 visits annually, resulting in the development of many tourism and hospitality businesses.

In five short years the Waterford Greenway has won the hearts of locals and visitors alike and celebrated a number of accolades which include; being the first Irish Greenway to receive the Green Flag Award for Parks and Green Spaces in 2020 and retain it in 2021, winning silver in the Excellence Category at the 10th European Greenways Award in 2021, and most recently being named Best Visitor Attraction in the Irish Independent 2022 Reader Travel Awards.

The captivating trail offers spectacular views of the Comeragh Mountains, the River Suir and the Waterford coast as you freewheel your way from the City to the sea, through tunnels, across viaducts and past old railway stations. Attractions along the dedicated cycling and walking trail include, with the world-renowned ornamental gardens at Mount Congreve, Waterford Suir Valley Railway, and the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark. The many vibrant coffee stops along the route will give you a flavour of the fantastic food and coffee scene in Waterford, where you can relax with an old friend or a new one!

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Joe Kelly said “Happy fifth birthday to a much-loved amenity here in Waterford and the South East. Waterford Greenway is a visitor attraction that has grown and developed due to the dedication, vision and commitment of Waterford City and County Council, the local communities, businesses and stakeholders. The enjoyment this visionary project brings to so many of all ages and abilities is just amazing.”

Michael Walsh, Chief Executive, Waterford City and County Council added, “Waterford Greenway has been transformative for the county. Businesses have been built, visitors have come time and again and of course locals have the huge benefit of having this world class amenity on their doorstep.”

The Waterford Greenway can only get better as work is already underway to improve the Greenway connection to the city centre and are due for completion in 2023. Works are progressing very well on the New Ross Greenway, with the new sustainable transport bridge in the City allowing visitors to continue their Greenway journey from Waterford through parts of Kilkenny and Wexford.

Feasibility studies for a connection between Waterford City and Tramore, Dungarvan and Mallow and a Waterford Greenway to Suir Blueway connection are all underway and will undoubtedly bring more opportunities to locals and visitors to get out and enjoy the fantastic sights in Waterford and the South East.

You can follow Waterford Greenway on Facebook or Instagram for all the latest on what’s happening and share your memories (old and new) to help us celebrate five great years of the Waterford Greenway using the hashtags #HappyBirthday #WaterfordGreenway

www.visitwaterfordgreenway.com

-ENDS-

By Waterford City & County Council

Road Closures – Traffic Update – Thursday 24th March 2022

An Garda Síochána have advised of the following road closures

  • The Mall will be closed from 3pm today (March 23rd) until tomorrow afternoon (March 24th)

The following road closures will take place from 6am tomorrow morning (March 24th):

  • From the roundabout at the GPO (junction of Keizer Street) to the junction of the Mall and Catherine Street
  • Lombard Street – from the junction of Rose Lane to the Mall
  • Adelphi Quay – from the junction of Rose Lane to Clyde Quay

Delays are expected so please allow extra travel time for your journey.

By Waterford City & County Council

Traffic Delays – Wed-Thurs 23rd-24th March 2022

An Garda Síochána have advised that there will be significant traffic restrictions with road closures and diversions in place in Waterford city from this evening, Wednesday (March 23rd) and Thursday (March 24th).

Delays are expected so please allow extra travel time for your journey.

By Waterford City & County Council

Cherrymount Community NeighbourWoods

Earlier this month, Cherrymount was a hive of activity as volunteers planted 1,500 native Irish trees to create Cherrymount Community NeighbourWoods, converting one acre of the green area adjacent to John’s River in Waterford City into what will become an urban woodland.

Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan District, Cllr. Jason Murphy lent his support to the tree planting campaign and commended the groups for creating an urban woodland, of which the benefits will be enjoyed by future generations.

By Waterford City & County Council

Traffic Delays – Wed-Thurs 23rd-24th March 2022

An Garda Síochána have advised that there will be significant traffic restrictions with road closures and diversions in place in Waterford city from Wednesday evening (March 23rd) and Thursday (March 24th).

Delays are expected so please allow extra travel time for your journey.

By Waterford City & County Council

Vacancies : Seasonal Traffic Warden – Tramore

Waterford City & County Council invites applications from suitably qualified candidates who wish to be considered for the position of Seasonal Traffic Warden – Tramore.

Application Form and Candidate Information Booklet for the above are available to be downloaded from Waterford City & County Council’s website.

Completed application forms must be emailed to recruitment@waterfordcouncil.ie clearly stating the position applied for in the subject line no later than 4p.m. on Friday, 1st April, 2022.

Hard Copies will not be accepted.

An official application form must be completed in full by the closing date for the competition. Please note that amendments to the application will not be accepted after the closing date.

Please send your application from an email address that you will review regularly as communication during the assessment/selection period will only be through that email address.

WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY COUNCIL IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

By Waterford City & County Council

Consultation : National Minimum Wage 2023

The Low Pay Commission makes recommendations to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment designed to set a minimum wage that is fair and sustainable.

When appropriate the minimum wage can be adjusted to assist as many low-paid workers as possible without harming overall employment or competitiveness.

Consultation on the National Minimum Wage 2023.

Open from 23 February to 23 March 2022.

The Low Pay Commission is looking for your views on the National Minimum Wage rate for 2023.

Have your say:

Email: secretarylpc@enterprise.gov.ie

Or post to:

The Secretary, The Low Pay Commission, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2

No opinion is too big or small.

By Waterford City & County Council

New eParking app launched (cashless parking)

The Council has implemented eParking (cashless parking) to address the pressing demands from the public to provide a more convenient, safe and environmentally friendly parking option throughout the county. eParking will be available in all on street Council owned pay and display areas throughout the City & County, as well as in Council run car parks.

  • eParking will take away the stress of parking.
  • No more hunting for change Just scan the QR code above to download the free app from the app store “Waterfordeparking”.
  • No additional or hidden charges to the user  “you only pay for your parking”.
  • Users can also use the website www.waterfordeparking.ie or pay by phone 061311422
  • Save time –  parking will benefit everyone by providing the ability to process transactions remotely, meaning that users do not need to display a ticket before leaving their car or even return to the car to extend their parking – all of this can be controlled via the app on a smartphone.
  • To park up your vehicle, simply scan the QR code or download and open the app on your phone and select the ‘Park’ option. From the map or list select the location of where you are parking, how long you want to park for, and pay from the pre-purchased credit or from your wallet as a “one off” parking event.
  • The eParking system also cuts down on paper use and potential litter from disused pay and display tickets.
  • Any car any time – using a different car? just add the vehicle reg to your mobile eParking app and selected as the car you wish to park, cutting down on the need to have different accounts for different vehicles.

By Waterford City & County Council

THIS WEEK: Litter management workshop for Tidy Towns members

Waterford City & County Council are delighted to offer this innovative litter management workshop to all Tidy Towns members, Residents Associations and All those who wish to tackle local litter more effectively. The workshop will take approx 1 – 1.5 hours. This session is interactive and so is not recorded. If you would like to attend you need to be available on Wednesday March 23rd at 7pm.

Topics covered will include:

1.    Litter Analysis for different areas

2.    Litter.ie resources available

3.    Tackling the litter at source

4.    Approaching local businesses for support

5.    Graffiti hot spots and easy fixes

6.    Litter Awareness Workshops you can run

7.    Questions and Answers

By Waterford City & County Council

WC&CC Affordable Housing Scheme – register your interest using our Online Form

Waterford City & County Council is seeking to progress affordable housing in Waterford City at a number of locations in partnership with developers and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

DEADLINE : Thursday March 31, 2022 at 5:00 PM

For first time buyers who are currently unable to get a mortgage for a new house in Waterford City the affordable housing scheme will provide for:

· The purchase of a home from our partner developers using mortgage borrowing to the greatest extent possible, within the income capacity of the purchaser/s and the Central Bank prudential rules.

· The Council to take shared equity in the home to cover the shortfall in the price to a maximum of 40% and a minimum of 5%.

The Shared Equity by the Council in the home can be redeemed at any stage in the future by payment to the Council or may be left in place until a future sale of the property or for the lifetime of the purchaser/s.

Interested persons should note that:

· You will have to be able to meet the 10% deposit requirement of the money borrowed.

· The purchaser/s will be eligible for the Help to Buy scheme for first time buyers. Help to Buy Scheme link · Purchaser/s may be eligible for a Local Authority Home Loan (LAHL). Local Authority Home Loan link

In general you, as an individual or joint applicant, will need to have a Gross Income of between €55,000 and €70,000 to be eligible for this scheme.

If you wish to register an interest in purchasing a home in Waterford City please register here: https://submit.link/Kc

 

ONLINE ASSESSMENT – IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

· This is a provisional expression of interest only, for the purpose of gathering information and determining potential levels of interest.

· Eligibility criteria may change from time to time.

· Completion of the assessment does not imply eligibility or convey approval in any form, to a future offer of affordable housing by Waterford City & County Council.

· This is not a waiting list and will not determine priority.

· The existence of this register does not preclude others from applying to be considered for affordable housing.

· The data submitted by you as part of this submission, will be retained for as long as the relevant statutory provisions remain in force and may be used for the following purposes:

– The establishment of a register of provisional levels of interest in affordable housing provided by Waterford City & County Council but will not form any part of a wait list.

– To make further contact with applicants to confirm continuing interest and for final confirmation of actual interest.

– The potential onward transfer of the data to a register maintained by Waterford City and County Council of confirmed interest, which can be used as part of the process for final evaluation, prior to provisional approval for affordable Housing

– The potential onward transfer to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government or the Housing Agency as part of any evaluation or approval process associated with affordable housing.

– As a base register from which a list of approved applications may be derived to be passed on to a builder/developer of affordable homes.

This information is sought by the Housing Department of Waterford City &County Council and retained in pursuance of the functions of Waterford City & County Council in relation to housing under the Housing Acts 1966-2015 and in relation to affordable housing under Part 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions ) Act 2009 and Section 96 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended and Affordable Housing Act 2021.

For queries, please email: affordablehomes@waterfordcouncil.ie

By Waterford City & County Council

Vacancies : Executive & Assistant Planner (panels)

Waterford City & County Council invites applications from suitably qualified candidates who wish to be considered for Executive Planner & Assistant Planner panels.

Completed application forms must be emailed to recruitment@waterfordcouncil.ie  clearly stating the position applied for in the subject line no later than 4p.m. on Thursday, 24th March, 2022. 

Hard Copies will not be accepted.

An official application form must be completed in full by the closing date for the competition.  Please note that amendments to the application will not be accepted after the closing date.

Please send your application from an email address that you will review regularly as communication during the assessment/selection period will only be through that email address.

WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY COUNCIL IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

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