Featured Ireland News

Project Ireland 2040: Waterford

Project Ireland 2040 will drive investment to all regions within Ireland, driving economic growth and leading to job creation.

By 2040, it is projected that Ireland’s population will increase by one million. The Irish government wishes to meet this population increase by spreading investment more evenly throughout the regions of Ireland. The resulting outcome will see the development of ‘regional hubs’, allowing the cities and towns of Ireland to realise their full economic potential.

Over the coming months, we will discuss several of these key regional hubs for Project Ireland.

This time we are focusing on Waterford City in Ireland’s South East – a region of enormous potential, as the 6th fastest-growing region in the EU in terms of job creation, with a projected population growth of 14.6% by 2040.

Waterford at a Glance

As the main city in Ireland’s South East Region, Waterford is Ireland’s oldest and fifth most populated city.
Waterford Port handles approximately 12% of Ireland’s external trade by value.
Waterford’s most famous export is the internationally acclaimed brand, Waterford Crystal.
The city is home to many multinational companies, including Bausch & Lomb, Sanofi, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
WIT is Waterford’s main third-level institution and is Ireland’s leading Institute of Technology (IoT).

Waterford as a Regional Hub

Cost Savings: Businesses in Waterford make approximately 33% in cost savings per employee, compared to Dublin.

Personal Property: Rental prices are 52% lower and house prices are 65% lower than in Dublin.

Commercial Property: Office space in Waterford’s city centre is around 70% cheaper than in Dublin.

Disposable Income: This is in line with other cities, and is set to grow by 30% by 2040.

Talent Pool: With a highly skilled, diverse workforce, over 90% of school leavers progress to third-level education.