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€300M Investment into Waterford City
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Matt Shanahan, Eddie Mulligan and their FF colleagues will save the day0
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mooseknunkle wrote: »Was wondering the same myself seems to be taking an age,but in the papers this week it says it will be January now,the great wall of china was built quicker!
I drive up around there at least once a week. It is actually painful looking at the progress. Weeks have passed and there were no changes at all! How could it take a whole year to do this is beyond me. The Empire State Building was built in 13 months!0 -
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Why would a Minister of State be wasting his time on such issues?
He is busy at present.
We are going to send a Rockett to Mahers. There was an old joke when Tony Rockett from the pub in Tramore was sent into Tom Mahers to prove the point.............
https://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/Minister_Halligan_re-affirms_Ireland%E2%80%99s_commitment_to_European_space_programmes_with_over_%E2%82%AC100_million_investment_to_2024_supporting_the_further_expansion_of_Ireland%E2%80%99s_space-active_industry.htmlReleases
Published on Thursday 28th November 2019
Minister Halligan re-affirms Ireland’s commitment to European space programmes with over €100 million investment to 2024, supporting the further expansion of Ireland’s space-active industry
Alongside his European counterparts, Minister Halligan attended the European Space Agency’s Ministerial Council Meeting, Space 19+, in Seville, Spain, to agree the future strategies and policies of the Agency, creating greater opportunity for Irish enterprise in the evolving space sector.
Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan, T.D., along with Ministers with responsibility for space within the 22 European Space Agency (ESA) Member States and Canada, gathered in Seville, Spain to attend ESA’s Ministerial Council meeting, Space19+. The key purpose of the Ministerial meeting is to determine future ESA policies and strategies and to take decisions on Member States’ investment in future space programmes.
During Space19+, Minister Halligan confirmed Ireland’s investment in a number of ESA’s Optional Programmes. Ireland’s investment decisions at Space19+ have been guided by the National Space Strategy for Enterprise 2019-2025, published earlier this year. The national strategy aims to develop a strong and economically sustainable space-active industry in Ireland.
In line with the strategy, Ireland has invested in Optional Programmes which will generate commercially sustainable business opportunities, especially in the emerging Space 4.0 market and in technology transfer, which can support companies to expand into multiple market verticals. The space programmes that Ireland invested in at Space19+ include PRODEX, Exploration, Earth Observation, Navigation, Telecommunications and Integrated Applications, Technology and Space Transportation.
Minister Halligan also confirmed Ireland’s investment in ESA’s Mandatory Programmes for the coming years. ESA’s Mandatory Programmes, comprised of ESA’s Scientific Programme and the ESA General Budget, underpin the work and capabilities of the Agency.
Speaking at the ESA Ministerial meeting in Seville, Minister Halligan said
This Ministerial Council meeting is very timely for Ireland. Earlier this year I published Ireland’s first National Space Strategy for Enterprise, which sets out the framework for investment and growth between now and 2025
The Minister continued
Ireland’s investment in ESA will be guided by the priorities identified in the strategy and I am delighted to announce that Ireland’s level of investment in new Optional Programmes at Space19+ is a significant increase when compared to the last Ministerial Council meeting held in 2016.
We hope to see Ireland’s overall investment in space increase above and beyond this level in the coming years through industry co-funding, which is supported through a number of ESA programmes Ireland will be investing in.
Minister Halligan also said,
Ireland’s investment will focus on programmes that enable Irish companies to become actively engaged in technology transfer, which will support long-term quality employment by providing leading-edge solutions for both the space and complementary markets, thus supporting several of the aims of Future Jobs Ireland, including embracing innovation and technological change, enhancing skills and transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
Minister Halligan added that he was particularly happy that Ireland is joining ESA’s Climate Change Initiative, in addition to the Global Development Assistance Programme, which will use Earth Observation data to assist developing countries in areas such as food security and mitigation of the effects of natural disasters.
Tom Kelly, Divisional Manager, Enterprise Ireland, welcomed the additional investment in ESA supporting increased innovation in Irish industry, technology transfer and developing supply chain opportunities for Irish industry in the global space sector, with a strong focus on SMEs and start-up companies.
The commercial space industry has been estimated to grow to approximately €2.3 trillion by 2030. Ireland’s versatile and adaptive space-active industry is ideally placed to gain a significant share of this growing market and is already rapidly expanding into it. The number of Irish companies engaged with ESA contracts has grown from 45 in 2014 to 70 in 2019. This is an increase of over 55% in 5 years. Ireland invested over €100 million to 2024 in strategic ESA space programmes which will put innovative Irish companies and researchers in a position to further seize the opportunities presented by the growing global space economy.
The Government’s investment in ESA forms part of a wider strategy for Irish industry and research facilities to access opportunities to develop space capabilities under Horizon 2020 and other R&D programmes of the European Union.
Notes to Editors
The European Space Agency and Space19+
The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s and Ireland’s gateway to space. ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
ESA develops the launchers, spacecraft and ground facilities needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global space activities. Today it launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications and astronomy, sends probes to the far reaches of the Solar System and cooperates in the human exploration of space. Member States’ investment in ESA is made on the basis of geographical return, meaning that the amount a Member State invests in ESA is commensurate with the amount that their national industry receives back in contracts.
ESA holds a Ministerial Council Meeting approximately every three years and provides an opportunity for Member States to agree on the future programmes and strategies of the Agency.
For more information on ESA please see: www.esa.in
For more information on Space19+ please see: http://blogs.esa.int/space19plus/
Ireland’s Membership of ESA
Membership of ESA provides Ireland’s businesses with access to a €5 billion per year technology development organisation that has no equal anywhere outside NASA along with greatly improved access to Global and European institutional space clients, prime contractors and technology supply chains.
ESA plays a critical role in developing a strong European Space programme and space industry and has been fundamental to in developing the specialised, highly innovative, industrial capabilities that exist in the Irish space sector. ESA :-
Provides a significant capital investment support for in-company & 3rd level RDI in leading edge space technologies for commercial exploitation in the global space and non-space markets for the SME and MNC sector.
Supports the Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland strategy of supporting high potential start-ups, company scaling, as well as foreign direct investment.
Provides prioritised support for technology innovation and technology transfer that leads to exports, sales and employment generation by Irish industry.
A platform to fully exploit the opportunities of the Global space market and maximise the financial return and economic impacts of Ireland’s financial contributions to the EU space programme budgets.
Contributes directly BERD and HERD, to all metrics and targets in Innovation 2020, Enterprise 2025 and EI and IDA Strategies.
Enterprise Ireland and ESA
Enterprise Ireland co-ordinates Ireland’s industrial and research participation in the programmes of the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
The purpose of Ireland’s membership of ESA is to participate in European space programmes with a focus on facilitating innovative Irish companies to develop leading edge space technologies and to commercially exploit their ESA participation in global space and non-space markets, leading to increased export sales and employment.
Enterprise Ireland’s role in relation to ESA is to assist Irish companies to successfully bid for ESA contracts, providing expertise for Irish companies and researchers in developing and executing space strategies, as well as being a point of reference for the international space industry when they want to identify relevant sources of space-related expertise within Ireland.
Irish industrial and research participation in ESA covers a range of sectors and technology areas including; software, precision mechanical engineering, telecommunications, electronics, optoelectronics and advanced materials and extending to end user equipment, services and applications.
For more information on Enterprise Ireland and ESA please see:
https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/Research-Innovation/Companies/Access-EU-Research-Innovation-reports/European-Space-Agency-.html
The National Space Strategy for Enterprise 2019-2025
The National Space Strategy for Enterprise 2019-2025 was published in June 2019. The strategy sets out Ireland’s vision for space enterprise - to develop and support an economically sustainable and expanding space-active industry, delivering quality jobs for the economy of tomorrow.
More information on the strategy is available here: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/News-And-Events/Department-News/2019/June/19062019.html
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Reading back over the last couple of pages has me worried. Is this speculation that Falcon are going to pull out based on any reliable information or is is just based on speculation because we are near the end of November? Hopefully it's the latter.
It seems the recriminations and blame game has already started. It's pointless really. If it does fall through it would be a body blow for Waterford especially after all the hope. The most important thing is to look forward though. A lot of the planning and ground work has been done already for something significant to happen on the north quays plus it's a SDZ so there is still hope if this development doesn't happen. Lets just wait and see though.0 -
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Hope that La La land poster isn’t an omen0
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For what it's worth my call is Falcon will flip the site either with FPP or not, either way it needs clarity and full commitment now, so if their heart is not in it, flip it and get out of the way.0
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Back in July Falcon promised planning would be lodged in a few weeks which is now months.
Today they say it will be days.. I take this to read weeks going on previous missed deadlines0 -
I'm sceptical as I think this is just PR spin .....
basically ....... Falcon is preparing a planning application (yes for some time now) ...... intends to provide more specific details in the coming days (not necessarily relating to the planning app though)0 -
With regard to the use of the term 'flipping' of the Site, although a memo of understanding was agreed to develop the site in principle , Im not sure if the Purchase of the site has actually been agreed..
There are not too many entities with the financial firepower to spend 350 million in one go so who would Al Hokair be flipping it to ? unless it was divided into smaller blocks post PP Application . In that case , which Developer purchaser of an individual block would commit to the capital intensive upfront work required to build the Platform / Piling / Civil work for the broader development ?0 -
Jack Barlowe wrote: »With regard to the use of the term 'flipping' of the Site, although a memo of understanding was agreed to develop the site in principle , Im not sure if the Purchase of the site has actually been agreed..
There are not too many entities with the financial firepower to spend 350 million in one go so who would Al Hokair be flipping it to ? unless it was divided into smaller blocks post PP Application . In that case , which Developer purchaser of an individual block would commit to the capital intensive upfront work required to build the Platform / Piling / Civil work for the broader development ?
My understanding is that the Fawaz Alhokair Group were planning to invest about €280m over three years, with about €60m coming from public funds.
There would be quite a number of entities with the financial firepower to spend that or more. Four Reits listed on the Irish Stock Exchange own about €3.7bn in property between them.
International Funds and vehicles are scouring the market for suitable projects, particularly those involving commercial property in Ireland (mainly Dublin). Low interest rates mean cheap finance is available, but it also means that it's difficult to find projects or investment opportunity which deliver sufficient yield on investment.0 -
The following is a statement issued by Waterford City and County Council in reply to queries regarding the submission of the North Quays SDZ application.
Waterford City and County Council understand that the final documents in respect of the North Quays Strategic Development Zone are being prepared for lodgement, that Falcon Real Estate will be publishing their Environmental Impact Assessment Report
notification on the Department portal early next week to commence the planning submission process and that full lodgement will be completed within two weeks thereafter.0 -
The following is a statement issued by Waterford City and County Council in reply to queries regarding the submission of the North Quays SDZ application.
Waterford City and County Council understand that the final documents in respect of the North Quays Strategic Development Zone are being prepared for lodgement, that Falcon Real Estate will be publishing their Environmental Impact Assessment Report
notification on the Department portal early next week to commence the planning submission process and that full lodgement will be completed within two weeks thereafter.
This is getting beyond a joke.
Seriously losing all trust in the developers to be able to deliver this project.0 -
This is getting beyond a joke.
Seriously losing all trust in the developers to be able to deliver this project.
I don't really follow that train of thought. Sure it's frustrating but it's a very complex process. It doesn't happen because some people on the internet without detailed knowledge of what's happening behind the scenes want it and want it now.
I remember in the late 80s and early 90s when City Square was being put together there were many false starts. It even started construction and we were left with a big hole in the ground for about 18 months when the developers pulled out.
I'm pretty sure the developers of the North Quays had the intention to meet the deadlines they set, but these things often slip for various reasons. Not for a minute am I comparing like with like, but the largest skyscraper in the city of London is just being completed now after many false dawns over 10 years because of redesigns, financing issues and construction pauses. It happens all the time.
Maybe Falcon will pull out and try and flip it, but it's not like they have disappeared and still seem to providing information. Just let the process play out and see what happens. It's the end result that matters.0 -
I don't really follow that train of thought. Sure it's frustrating but it's a very complex process. It doesn't happen because some people on the internet without detailed knowledge of what's happening behind the scenes want it and want it now.
I remember in the late 80s and early 90s when City Square was being put together there were many false starts. It even started construction and we were left with a big hole in the ground for about 18 months when the developers pulled out.
I'm pretty sure the developers of the North Quays had the intention to meet the deadlines they set, but these things often slip for various reasons. Not for a minute am I comparing like with like, but the largest skyscraper in the city of London is just being completed now after many false dawns over 10 years because of redesigns, financing issues and construction pauses. It happens all the time.
Maybe Falcon will pull out and try and flip it, but it's not like they have disappeared and still seem to providing information. Just let the process play out and see what happens. It's the end result that matters.
The problem people have is that Falcon themselves said back in July that planning would be submitted within weeks and we should expect to see cranes by end of November which is now.
Two weeks ago they said planning would be lodged within two weeks and we should expect to see cranes by the end of 2020.
Today they now say that planning should be lodged within two weeks.
... Which two weeks do they have in mind?
.... Also, if Originally as outlined in July that work was due to start in November 2019 then I assume that means that Michael Street was due to start then also...why is Michael Street not started while we await FPP on the NQ0 -
This is getting beyond a joke.
Seriously losing all trust in the developers to be able to deliver this project.
This is beyond a joke. You'd think it was putting up a garden shed! All these big projects get delayed. If anything compared to other projects things have moved quickly on this and the developer has been good with communications.0 -
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It does sound like it is really happening... Council tweeting it. Massive milestone in this long egg and spoon race.0
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The problem people have is that Falcon themselves said back in July that planning would be submitted within weeks and we should expect to see cranes by end of November which is now.
Two weeks ago they said planning would be lodged within two weeks and we should expect to see cranes by the end of 2020.
Today they now say that planning should be lodged within two weeks.
... Which two weeks do they have in mind?
.... Also, if Originally as outlined in July that work was due to start in November 2019 then I assume that means that Michael Street was due to start then also...why is Michael Street not started while we await FPP on the NQ
Yeah the deadlines slipped, but in July there was no commitment to infrastructure funding which Falcon said was a condition for starting it. Sounds like it was a game of chicken between them and the government to see who jumped first. Falcon probably didn't want to go ahead and let the government off the hook for funding as they would assume it was already happening anyway and they wouldn't be in a hurry to provide anything then . Although funding for the station is not officially announced there seems to be enough movement and maybe behind the scenes guarantees have been made as evidenced by comments from the local TDs.
In terms of Michael St, yeah I agree it would have been great to get it started as it has full planning. However it is probably too small a project for Falcon to do without the whole north quays being included with it. I know the council pursuaded them to include Michael St as part of the project. You could argue that it may have started already if it had been separated and taken up by another developer. Who knows. As I've said before this is all speculation on my part but hopefully its still moving slowly in the right direction0 -
This is beyond a joke. You'd think it was putting up a garden shed! All these big projects get delayed. If anything compared to other projects things have moved quickly on this and the developer has been good with communications.
I understand the complexity involved but planning has been weeks away for months now and has constantly been put back.
It sounds like they completely redone the entire planning application during the last significant delay, I would absolutely love to know the reasoning for that. Might be a good reason, might mean that they completely overlooked a significant element of the development.0 -
Yeah the deadlines slipped, but in July there was no commitment to infrastructure funding which Falcon said was a condition for starting it. Sounds like it was a game of chicken between them and the government to see who jumped first. Falcon probably didn't want to go ahead and let the government off the hook for funding as they would assume it was already happening anyway and they wouldn't be in a hurry to provide anything then . Although funding for the station is not officially announced there seems to be enough movement and maybe behind the scenes guarantees have been made as evidenced by comments from the local TDs.
In terms of Michael St, yeah I agree it would have been great to get it started as it has full planning. However it is probably too small a project for Falcon to do without the whole north quays being included with it. I know the council pursuaded them to include Michael St as part of the project. You could argue that it may have started already if it had been separated and taken up by another developer. Who knows. As I've said before this is all speculation on my part but hopefully its still moving slowly in the right direction
If the funding is an issue then a polite, well worded statement would have gotten the public onboard and helped with any funding hold up.
Keeping the public in the dark (which I understand has to be done to a certain degree) means that the public cannot apply any pressure to help secure government funding. The entire city wants this development and at the moment we assume that the lack of funding is putting the project at risk but the developer has since rowed back on comments saying they would pull out by November if funding wasn't secured!0 -
If the funding is an issue then a polite, well worded statement would have gotten the public onboard and helped with any funding hold up.
Keeping the public in the dark (which I understand has to be done to a certain degree) means that the public cannot apply any pressure to help secure government funding. The entire city wants this development and at the moment we assume that the lack of funding is putting the project at risk but the developer has since rowed back on comments saying they would pull out by November if funding wasn't secured!
Can't really argue too much with that but people were giving out when Rob Cass was here and elsewhere giving plenty of information.
There's plenty going on behind the scenes and the lack of public information makes it seem that nothing is happening. It may or may not happen but I suppose patience is required.0 -
.Can't really argue too much with that but people were giving out when Rob Cass was here and elsewhere giving plenty of information.
There's plenty going on behind the scenes and the lack of public information makes it seem that nothing is happening. It may or may not happen but I suppose patience is required.
But that is the whole point... Plenty of info from Rob when here first... But no explanation about the current continuing delays and missed deadlines... Instead we have a vacuum filled with conjecture0 -
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But that is the whole point... Plenty of info from Rob when here first... But no explanation about the current continuing delays and missed deadlines... Instead we have a vacuum filled with conjecture
A number of posts clearly did not appreciate the information contributed by RC.
In his position I would have been rather pissed off with some of them.
If all is going according to plan behind the scenes (albeit delayed) why would he bother? If not going to plan then he most likely cannot make that public anyway.
I would think he has better things to do with his time than try to counter negative comments on Boards.
Speculation on Boards (negative or positive) is not going to affect the project.0 -
I saw Rob replying to Dermot Keyes on twitter the other day saying presale of hotel 50% of apartments and office pre sold hope this sets your minds at ease that this is really gonna happen0
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thwquietfella2 wrote: »I saw Rob replying to Dermot Keyes on twitter the other day saying presale of hotel 50% of apartments and office pre sold hope this sets your minds at ease that this is really gonna happen
Yep, saw that too.0 -
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thwquietfella2 wrote: »I saw Rob replying to Dermot Keyes on twitter the other day saying presale of hotel 50% of apartments and office pre sold hope this sets your minds at ease that this is really gonna happen
I do believe it’s going to happen but announcing to the public that half the site is pre sold before applying for planning permission is a bit far fetched?
Maybe they’ve received expressions of interest but not pre sold.0
This discussion has been closed.
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