NSS to be scrapped

Bards

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2013/0213/1224329982576.html

Hogan to abolish spatial strategy

The Government is scrapping the National Spatial Strategy because the resources have never been provided to create planned “gateways” and “hubs”, the Minister for the Environment has said.

Addressing the Oireachtas Committee on Jobs Enterprise and Innovation yesterday, Phil Hogan also criticised out-of-town shopping centres and asked local councils to cut development charges in town centres to encourage urban renewal.Commenting on the National Spatial Strategy, a 20-year economic development plan which designated 18 gateways and hubs through which employment and investment were to be directed, Mr Hogan said it “didn’t work”.

“Nothing has happened” in the 10 years since the gateways and hubs were designated and there was little evidence of anything other than “a title” to show these were designated areas.

He said the strategy would be replaced with new proposals which would be circulated in a process of public consultation. A replacement was “about a year away”.

On the reform of local government, Mr Hogan said major towns which had town councils “will still be the focal point” for rural development after town councils are abolished.

His aim was to reorganise community development interests and local authority interests, combining them with State employment agencies, and create a network of “one-stop shops” for enterprise development .

There was currently “a plethora of organisations where nobody knows which one to go to”. He told TDs and Senators some agencies were not fit for purpose in accounting for their stewardship of public monies.

He instanced Mayo North East Leader, where he said the fraud squad had been sent in.

Mr Hogan said planned new Local Employment Offices in local authorities would bring together a range of employment support agencies, such as Leader and community enterprise projects, utilising community enterprise staff.

Enterprise Ireland staff would be seconded to local government to run them and “pay and pension issues won’t arise”.

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A few take away points from the above. He criticises Out-of-town developments - Yet he supports Ferrybank S>C by allowing KCC to open a branch office and a library there, and cutting the ribbon for said development:rolleyes:

Will KK be upgraded to Gateway City Status at Waterfords expense under the guise of a new Spatial Strategy?

mike65

The spatial strategy was still born. Its no loss.

BlaasForRafa

No surprise that the Minister for Kilkenny would do anything to try and reduce Waterford's status.

How about instead of getting rid of the strategy that they actually provide resources for the Gateway cities instead. I know the capital budget is limited compared to what it was but Hogan doesn't want to improve Waterford even though any improvement in here would be of benefit to at least the southern half of his own constituency.

O Riain

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

No surprise that the Minister for Kilkenny would do anything to try and reduce Waterford's status.

How about instead of getting rid of the strategy that they actually provide resources for the Gateway cities instead. I know the capital budget is limited compared to what it was but Hogan doesn't want to improve Waterford even though any improvement in here would be of benefit to at least the southern half of his own constituency.

Have to agree, he states the resources were never provided for it. Provide them so!
I actually never thought that Hogan had it in for us, thought he was obviously pro Kilkenny as he is from Kilkenny but this has me thinking about his agenda. Surely this combined with his removal of our city status must have even the hard line Fine Gaelers wondering....

Speak Now

O Riain wrote: »

Have to agree, he states the resources were never provided for it. Provide them so!
I actually never thought that Hogan had it in for us, thought he was obviously pro Kilkenny as he is from Kilkenny but this has me thinking about his agenda. Surely this combined with his removal of our city status must have even the hard line Fine Gaelers wondering....

What this :eek: have I missed something

mike65

You missed nothing about the City status, only the city council being merged with de county boyos

O Riain

mike65 wrote: »

You missed nothing about the City status, only the city council being merged with de county boyos

There will be a removal of power from the city, this combined with the fact that the National Spatial Strategy being scrapped is extremely ominous. Remember the National Spatial Strategy encouraged and recommended investment in Waterford and we get next to nothing. Whats the situation going to be like when the only Governmental document we had on our side is abolished?

mike65

No worse I would hazard. The only thing that will save Waterfords industrial base is a university.

O Riain

mike65 wrote: »

No worse I would hazard. The only thing that will save Waterfords industrial base is a university.

Which the NSS recommended. I'm not convinced about this Technological University, every I.T. in the country is applying for it, now that doesnt necessarily mean they will get it but who's to say in 5 years that they wont and we are once again in a situation where we are no better off than where we are now?

O Riain

Slightly off-topic but Just reading over the South East Employment Action Plan again and found this paragraph:

Waterford is less competitive from a grant-aid perspective (10 percent) relative to other areas such as the BMW or Mid-West region and given the current high levels of unemployment and structural change required in the region, there may be a case for seeking to agree a revised State Aid designation with the EU.

Seeing as though we are in a worse position now then when the report was written there must be a case for this, is there any politician actively seeking this for the region?

road_high

No loss. Meaningless piece of paper with no plan or money behind it.
Plus, you can't force companies or businesses to locate in an area. They will locate based on merits and their own needs. Telling them it's a "gateway" and they should locate there means nothing.

Max Powers

O Riain wrote: »

Slightly off-topic but Just reading over the South East Employment Action Plan again and found this paragraph:

Waterford is less competitive from a grant-aid perspective (10 percent) relative to other areas such as the BMW or Mid-West region and given the current high levels of unemployment and structural change required in the region, there may be a case for seeking to agree a revised State Aid designation with the EU.

Seeing as though we are in a worse position now then when the report was written there must be a case for this, is there any politician actively seeking this for the region?

heard deasy talking about it a couple weeks ago saying it wasnt working as is, the SE should get special status due to econmic problems, a lot of talk, dont know if anything will come out of it as Im sure the west wouldnt be happy if we threatened to take some of their substantial govt and FDI investment

mike65

Many BMWs have been bought in the BMW region thanks to that "status"