Waterford
Waterford, capital of the South East region, provides with a wide and varied range of amenities for citizens and visitors and is continuing to develop as a major Irish city into this new millennium. The population, according to the 1996 census, was 44,155, which shows a growth rate of 5.5% over the intercensal (1991-1996) period.
Thanks to a very efficient infrastructure, the city is ideally placed to trade with Ireland and the rest of Europe. Indeed, Waterford enjoys an easy access for both freight and passengers thanks to a comprehensive network of roads, rails, airport and port.
Waterford is a fast growing city: it is planning to develop 485.64 hectares of land, within the next 5 years. 50% of this land has been serviced and the remainder has been proposed for servicing within 3 years.
In terms of education, the Waterford Institute of Technology provides the city with a highly skilled workforce: last year, 2,228 students completed HETAC accredited courses. These included certificates, diplomas, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. In addition, there was a throughput at the FÁS Training Centre in 1999 of 1,810.
Waterford has 29 foreign owned agency-supported establishments and 109 Irish owned establishments. |
