Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Conor D. McGuinness, has called for stronger Government support for regional development, small businesses and urban regeneration following a meeting this week with the Dungarvan and West Waterford Chamber of Commerce.
Deputy McGuinness was joined at the meeting by local Sinn Féin Councillor Kate O’Mahony.
Deputy McGuinness said:
“Dungarvan and towns like it across Ireland are the backbone of our regional economy.
They are vibrant, entrepreneurial, and full of potential — but they are being badly let down by a lack of coherent Government strategy and investment.”
McGuinness said a range of serious concerns had been raised during recent engagements with businesses locally, including the erosion of town centres due to the loss of commercial spaces, the need for fairer supports for the self-employed, challenges around housing delivery due to delays with water and wastewater infrastructure, and the urgent need for Dungarvan to be recognised in national economic development planning.
Deputy McGuinness said:
“There is deep frustration in Dungarvan at the lack of strategic investment since the success of the Greenway project. Businesses, community groups and local leaders have shown what can be achieved with vision and determination — but they need real support, not just lip service.”
“We need planning policies that protect the commercial heart of towns like Dungarvan, support for succession and continuity in family and long-established businesses, and grant and enterprise supports that reflect the realities of modern employment structures, not outdated models.”
He also criticised the Government’s failure to properly resource infrastructure delivery:
“A shortage of water and wastewater infrastructure is stalling much-needed housing developments in Dungarvan and across West Waterford. Uisce Éireann must be held accountable for delivery delays and the Government must tackle the bottlenecks preventing towns from growing.”
McGuinness said that enterprise supports need ti take into account the changing nature of work and business in order to avoid stagnation:
“There needs to be greater coordination between the various agencies responsible for promoting and sustaining economic growth, and a more flexible approach to pricing support to enterprises of different sizes. In a challenging environment indigenous firms need targeted supports to scale operations,, access new markets, invest in technology sustain growth, and create jobs.”
In conclusion, Deputy McGuinness said:
“Regional development must be about more than headlines and promises. It must deliver real, sustainable growth for towns like Dungarvan. Sinn Féin will continue to advocate for small and medium businesses, for better public services, for proper infrastructure investment, and for strategic planning that supports regional towns to thrive.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 