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ESRI professor on South East Region - we're poor and stupid

mike65

Has anyone seen a report that was mentioned on the radio this morning which showed that the SE region is struggling (like we needed telling) relative to the rest of the state? Poor third level education standards/achievements and lower income were the points I heard. I've done a quick google but can't spot a link.

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mike65

Its the ESRIs Dr Edgar Morganroth who said this at a WIT hosted economic conference, I trust his words, will be used by the whole region for best effect on the government.

(thread title ammended)

Trotter

We have a couple of issues here in the South East relating to this problem.

Firstly, the old parish pump. The system in Ireland lends itself to the decision making going to those we elect, as opposed to those that are best placed to make the decision rationally and fairly. So, I would wager that there is a lack of 'joined up thinking' between TDs from Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny. United they could stand, but divided they seem to fall.

Secondly, we need to vote more intelligently and play the system as it stands. Look at what Grealish, Healy-Rae and Lowry can do in their situation. They set the price for their vote. Now I hate the fact they can do that, as Id prefer a combined local candidate and national list system. However, this the existing system is what it is. We can pontificate about its negatives while the wealth is moved to areas where decisions get votes. Waterford doesnt seem to be a priority for any of the parties. I think this is because there's nothing to be gained for the parties spending money here. They have less to lose.

The result longterm, is a lack of investment in the region as a whole. This new motorway is a break from the norm and if we could only get the WIT upgrade then it would almost be out of the politicians hands that growth would be achieved. Then we'd have the situation where the creativity of local personalities who have done some serious hard work would be leveraged far more than it can be now.

We're our own worst enemies in that we dont demand enough of the politicians in our area, and we get little because of that. We're not reaping as much because we're not sowing as much as other regions do in terms of really getting the most for our vote.

The next general election will be vital because unless people walk the walk and vote only for candidates who promise us what we need in terms of investment (WIT especially) within stated timeframes then we'll stagnate.

We are not nationally in a situation yet where future independent TDs wont have the power they do now. I think it is vital that we elect at least 1 if not 2 independent TDs in Waterford. We need noise to be made on our behalf. I hear no noise right now.

Smiley Burnett

whats the point in electing Independent TDs with absolutely ZERO influence??

The influence of Independents is vastly overstated and some of the biggest gombeens ever elected to the Dail were Independents who achieved nothing for their constituents!!

Not The Real Scarecrow

I can only speak as far as the university status goes, and honestly it doesn't matter in any regard how much influence any politician or citizen has, WIT getting university status falls on WIT and how the institute manages its self.No politican can guarantee university status as no matter what promises they make,WIT has to fufill certain critera and tick all the boxes before university status can even be considered. Politicians have generated the illusion that they may have a sway over this to gain votes where, the reality is that they have little or nothing to do with it. My advice to people would be to not listen or rely on the empty promises of politicians and to place emphasis on themselves or people that they know that may have the ability to change the way things are.
Politicians were not responsible for the Celtic Tiger, it was the normal hard working people of Ireland.The politicans only took the credit for all our hard work.We shouldn't fall into the trap of relying on them, and should realize that the power to change things doesn't lye in a vote, but our imaginations and hard work.

fricatus

Meatwad wrote: »

No politican can guarantee university status as no matter what promises they make,WIT has to fufill certain critera and tick all the boxes before university status can even be considered. Politicians have generated the illusion that they may have a sway over this to gain votes where, the reality is that they have little or nothing to do with it.

Have you read any of the Port Report?

It basically said that WIT operates at about university level, and that in certain countries, it would already be a university.

It stopped short of recommending that it become a university, mainly because there is no formal framework in place in this country for an institution to "graduate" to university status, and that such a framework would need to be put in place before WIT could be fairly evaluated against it.

This, and any other university upgrading (such as DCU and UL) is entirely therefore a political issue, and while I agree with you that politicians' promises are generally empty ones, there's nothing (other than politics!) to stop the Minister for Education signing an act in the morning to make WIT a university ("with her quill, like some medieval potentate", as Eamonn Gilmore said some years back).

What is needed is some sort of university act that says if an institution fulfils criteria A, B, C, etc., then it may be designated a university, and be done with it. It's not fair on WIT, DIT, etc., that they're working towards a goal but the rules of the game keep changing, or are not defined in the first place.

fuzzy dunlop

Trotter wrote: »

We have a couple of issues here in the South East relating to this problem.

Firstly, the old parish pump. The system in Ireland lends itself to the decision making going to those we elect, as opposed to those that are best placed to make the decision rationally and fairly. So, I would wager that there is a lack of 'joined up thinking' between TDs from Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny. United they could stand, but divided they seem to fall.

Secondly, we need to vote more intelligently and play the system as it stands. Look at what Grealish, Healy-Rae and Lowry can do in their situation. They set the price for their vote. Now I hate the fact they can do that, as Id prefer a combined local candidate and national list system. However, this the existing system is what it is. We can pontificate about its negatives while the wealth is moved to areas where decisions get votes. Waterford doesnt seem to be a priority for any of the parties. I think this is because there's nothing to be gained for the parties spending money here. They have less to lose.

The result longterm, is a lack of investment in the region as a whole. This new motorway is a break from the norm and if we could only get the WIT upgrade then it would almost be out of the politicians hands that growth would be achieved. Then we'd have the situation where the creativity of local personalities who have done some serious hard work would be leveraged far more than it can be now.

We're our own worst enemies in that we dont demand enough of the politicians in our area, and we get little because of that. We're not reaping as much because we're not sowing as much as other regions do in terms of really getting the most for our vote.

The next general election will be vital because unless people walk the walk and vote only for candidates who promise us what we need in terms of investment (WIT especially) within stated timeframes then we'll stagnate.

We are not nationally in a situation yet where future independent TDs wont have the power they do now. I think it is vital that we elect at least 1 if not 2 independent TDs in Waterford. We need noise to be made on our behalf. I hear no noise right now.

Your dead right Trotter,If Waterford was cued in politically it would realise that there is a Golden opportunity here. If the Government holds the bye election next year and we elected an Independent TD with a mandate for forcing the University issue and let's say the re-instatement of the IDA regional centre in Waterford then we be sending a clear message to all the big parties that we are being serious and our vote is not to be taken for granted.That is the minimum that will happen.The maximum will be we will actually acheive what we want. We might not have this opportunity again for fifty years. I know one think electing another FF,FG or Labour TD will only make us look politically thick which is I'm afraid is going to happen.

O Riain

Who are these independents, what are their policies, where is their campaign of outlining what the benefits are of having an independent elected in waterford????????

red_diesel

I do not see how a university instead of an IT will solve the region's woes. Thousands of manufacturing jobs have been lost over the last few years. Many of these jobs were filled by low skilled workers many of whom are now out of work. In my opinion the unions have too much influence and have contributed to the loss of many jobs. Disbanding the Waterford Council of Trade Unions would be a good start on the road to recovery.