D U N G A R V A N - Waterford County Council

D U N G A R V A NC O . W A T E R F O R D , I R E L A N DThe Development Opportunity

D U N G A R V A NC O . W A T E R F O R D , I R E L A N DThe Development OpportunityThe town of Dungarvan offers a unique investment opportunity. Located between Waterford andCork, it has the benefits of ready access to both air and sea ports, excellent infrastructure, ayoung, flexible workforce and a clean environment. Coupled with this are the strong partnershipswhich exist between the local authorities and other state agencies, who work together to ensureeconomic, social and cultural development of the area.Any potential investor willhave immediate access to arange of expertise andprofessionals who can offeradvice and assistance on allaspects of setting up abusiness, including grantfunding, recruitment,training and research and development. Thisensures a smooth transition from a concept to agoing concern. Dungarvan has a proven trackrecord for both attracting and sustainingmulti-national, national and local investment.The local economy is strong and supportsdiverse industries, ranging from pharmaceuticalgiants to light engineering and support service.The area is noted for itsamenities; blue flag beaches,rugged coastline, mountainsand rivers, to name but afew, and its prime location,in the heart of the “CrystalClean County” makes it anextremely desirableenvironment in which to put down roots.Dungarvan is one of the few locations whichcan realistically offer all the benefits of urbanlife within a rural setting.The town has much to recommend it, with anabundance of high quality schools, sportsfacilities, quality restaurants, bars and hotels.Ray O'Dwyer, County Manager

D U N G A R V A NC O . W A T E R F O R D , I R E L A N DThe Development OpportunityDesigned by TOTEM

ProfileDUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunityDungarvan, Waterford’s county town, andlocation of the county’s administrativeheadquarters, is strategically positioned onthe N25 National Primary route, betweenWaterford city and Cork city, both identifiedas Gateways in the National Spatial Strategy.The town itself is identifiedas a development hub andhas long been regarded asone of the main centres forindustry in the region.Waterford is a maritimecounty and Dungarvan livesup to this heritage, situatedas it is on the river Colligan estuary, whichforms Dungarvan Harbour. The harbour hasin recent times undergone significantremedial work and plans to develop a marinaare currently being explored. Dungarvanquays have undergone a renaissance overthe past ten years, benefiting fromsuccessive Urban Renewal schemes and theassociated tax incentives. What oncecomprised a collection of redundant storesand warehouses, typical of many urbanquaysides, has been transformed into acontinental style waterfront which includesrestaurants, cafes, bars, town houses andapartments. The attractive waterfrontdevelopments are enhanced by the multitudeof pleasure crafts moored in the harbour.Waterford County Council and DungarvanTown Council seek to encourage sustainabledevelopment of the town through variousinitiatives. The town centre has beenmaintained as the main commercial/retailarea, with industrial development beingconveniently located in a number of planned

Profilenumerous quality retail outlets, officeaccommodation and residential units.The facility includes parking for six hundredcars which has proved a huge bonus forthe through flow of traffic in the town asa whole.industrial parks and sites, within the TownCouncil’s administrative area and in thecounty area, immediately adjacent to thetown. Residential development has beenplanned to maximise proximity to servicessuch as retail outlets and schools.Plans are currently afoot to completelyrevitalise the town’s Grattan Square and tosympathetically link this historic marketplacewith the new town centre development. Oncompletion, Dungarvan town centre will viewith any similarly sized town in Europe as anattractive focal point for urban activitiesDUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunityOver the past five yearssignificant commercial andretail developments haveenhanced the town centre,benefiting not just thetown population itself,but also the widercatchment area forwhich Dungarvanis a key services centre. Aforty-acre town centredevelopment includes theDungarvan Shopping Centre,a multi-plex cinema,

WorkforceDUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunityThe population of Dungarvan, and itsimmediate environs, is in excess of 15,000.Within a 60 minute commuting distance,this increases to approximately 200,000.The town has seen an unprecedented boomin the last number of years withan upsurge in a young, highlyskilled and motivated workforce.Ireland has one of the youngestpopulations in Europe with 40%under the age of 25. The IMDWorld Competitiveness Yearbook2004 ranked Ireland's educationsystem 5th from 60 countriessurveyed for meeting the needs of acompetitive economy. Ireland is ranked 2nd,behind Canada, for having the highestpercentage of 25-34 year olds to haveattained at least tertiary education.Dungarvan has four secondary schools, eachwith a reputation for academic excellence.The secondary schools, on average, producein excess of 300 leaving certificate pupilseach year.Waterford Institute of Technology is locateda convenient 40km from Dungarvan town.The Institute produces highly skilledgraduates across a very broad spectrum. Ahigh percentage emanate from the region,illustrating the locally available skills base.Research undertaken indicates that a largenumber of graduates, working outside theregion, have expressed an interest inworking in the area, should a suitableopportunity arise. The numbers ofgraduates from W.I.T. have steadily increasedin recent years from 2,400, in 2002, to 2,780in 2004 and a potential 3,000 in 2005, adramatic 25% growth. In addition tofull-time education the facility offers a

Workforcecomprehensive range of part-time courses,leading to professional qualifications. Theinstitute has strong links with industry in theSouth East, offering a variety of services,such as:> Tailor made training courses for staff> Collaborative research projects> Access to resources and expertise> Access to Graduate poolFÁS works with the employer in the firstinstance, to provide a comprehensiverecruitment service. Secondly, FÁS providesan extensive range of Training and CompanyDevelopment Programmes. It assessestraining needs and provides upskilling, onthe job training, and skills developmentopportunities. County Waterford VEC, at itsAdult Education Centre in Dungarvan,provides PLC courses which equip studentswith all the skills necessary for today'semployment market.Dungarvan has a history of attracting andsustaining a broad spectrum of diverseindustries and has a proven track record ofits ability to meet the human resource needsof any employer, in any field.Many employers in Dungarvan and the widerregion have availed of the excellent servicesprovided by FÁS, the National Trainingand EmploymentAuthority.DUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunity

Development OpportunitiesDUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunityOver the past 10 years, the Irish economyoutperformed all other Europeaneconomies, recording a growth ratethroughout that period of three times theE.U. average. The Economist IntelligenceUnit Business Environment Rankings predictthat Ireland will remain one of themost attractive business locationsin the world throughout the period2004-2008. Ireland's Corporate Taxrate, at 12.5% is one of the lowest'onshore' rates in the world. TheIMD World Competitiveness YearBook, 2004 ranks Ireland first, ofthe 60 countries surveyed, forCorporate Tax rate on profit.Within Dungarvan town boundaries, andimmediately adjacent to the town, there arezoned parcels of land currently available fordevelopment. In the various Development /Industrial Parks the town can offer sites forindependent development or readyconstructed industrial units, available to let.I.D.A. Ireland currently has a 30-acre, fullyserviced Industrial Park, ready foroccupancy. Any prospective investor willhave access to reputable developers, withthe capacity to construct to individual clientspecifications.The town has a strong existingpharmaceutical base, being home toconcerns such as; GlaxoSmithKline,Microbrush International and MicrochemLaboratories. The proven success in thisfield, while significant, is however by nomeans the only string to Dungarvan's bow.Among the other successful industrieslocated in the town are, Glanbia, CenturyHomes, Radley Engineering, ArdmoreTechnology and most recently Biopin.

Development OpportunitiesThere is ready availability of officeaccommodation, to suit a variety of ServiceBusinesses and there are identified retailopportunities in this fast-growing,multi-cultural town. Local EstateAgents can offer a selection ofretail premises, to rent or buy,suitable for both large andsmall outlets.Within, and adjacent to, thetown are areas of land zonedspecifically for Tourism development. Giventhe town’s natural amenities, opportunitiesin this sphere are boundless.quality in the harbour and beaches adjacentto the town is compliant with the EU UrbanWastewater Directive. This major projecthas presented the opportunity to open upadditional tracts of development land.Dungarvan offers quality housing ataffordable prices. Residential developmentin the town has boomed in recent yearsensuring ready availability of properties toeither rent or buy.DUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunityThe town has a recently constructed,state of the art, waste water treatmentsystem which services Dungarvan andits environs and ensures that water

AccessDUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunityDungarvan is strategically located on thenorth-south corridor Euroroute 30, includingthe N25 National Primary route, whichlinks Belfast, Dublin, Rosslare, Waterfordand Cork.The town is serviced by Cork InternationalAirport, which offers scheduled flights to theU.S. and major U.K. and European cities andWaterford Regional Airport, offeringscheduled daily flights to the U.K., linkinginto international schedules in London, alongwith direct flights to other Europeandestinations.Dungarvan is a convenient 47km fromWaterford Port, Ireland's closest deep-waterport to mainland Europe, which includes astate-of-the-art intermodular containerterminal, with frequent services to Bristol,Rotterdam, Le Harve and Bilbao.Cork port, at a distance of 80km andRosslare port, at a distance of 127km, offercommercial and passenger car ferry servicesdaily to Britain and Europe.The town benefits from a Broadband Metroring which offers cheap, always-on access tothe Internet. An underground network offibre optic cable provides access speeds ofup to 80Gbt/s. This option was chosen asbeing the most future proof of alltransmission methods. The facility has hugeadvantages for business facilitating, as itdoes, real-time communications, e-working,online or virtual collaboration between sitesand an undeniable competitive edge.

AccessBelfastDublinShannonWaterfordDungarvanCorkRosslare

Recreation and AmenityDUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunityInvesting in Dungarvan, is an opportunitynot only to invest in a livelihood, but anopportunity to invest in a completelifestyle. Ireland was named as the world'sbest country in which to live, in 2005.Dungarvan town is a living example of allthat is good about Irish life.Waterford county has 145 kmof coastline and can boast nofewer than 49 beaches.Dungarvan is situated adjacentto Clonea blue-flag beach, ahaven for windsurfing, waterskiing, surfing and paragliding. Dungarvan'senclosed harbour is home to a very activesailing club and the area is renowned as adeep-sea and inshore angling centre. Justacross the bay is the Ring Gaeltacht with itstraditional culture, which periodically spillsover into the town. The annual Féile nanDeise, a festival of traditional music andculture, including an open air pageant is heldin early summer while the annual Tionól antSamhraidh, a more literary event whichfosters a love of the language and itstraditional forms of music and verse, takesplace in the Summer months.The town is within fifteen minutes of theseaside resort of Ardmore, with thecountry's best example of an historic roundtower and Lismore, with the imposingLismore castle, owned by the Duke ofDevonshire. Lismore was named Ireland'stidiest town in 2004, Ardmore is a formerNational winner, while 13km to the East isStradbally which has been a gold medal

Recreation and Amenitywinning town for the pastthree years.Within a 6km radius of the townare three championship standard,18-hole golf courses. The nearbyKnockmealdown, Comeragh andMonavullagh mountains offerexceptional walking and climbingopportunities, while the county is noted forits equestrian profile. There are a number ofequestrian centres, in close proximity toDungarvan town, offering riding lessons,hacking, trekking and full and part livery.G.A.A., Soccer, Rugby, Tennis and Athleticsare well catered for at all levels and thetown's schools have an excellentreputation for sportingachievement.sedentary, Camera and Film clubs, alongwith the local branch of Toastmasters arevery active. Dungarvan library, a state ofthe art facility with free internet access alsohouses the county Archives, while the OldMarket House Arts Centre hosts up to threeexhibitions each month, showcasing bothNational and International talent.Dungarvan has all the advantages of urbanlife in a rural setting. For those who wantto have the best of both worlds, this town isone of the few that can offer the completepackage.DUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOpportunityThe town has a number ofquality hotels with swimmingpools and leisure facilities.Quality restaurants, barsand traditional pubsabound, offering a selectionof Oriental and traditional cuisine.Active Choral and Dramatic societies stageregular productions and for the more

ContactBrian White, Director of Servicesfor EnterpriseDUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOppertunityFor information or assistance contact,Brian White, Director of Services forEnterprise, Waterford County Council,Civic Offices, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.Tel: +353-58-20841;Mobile: 086 8334844 ore-mail: bwhite@waterfordcoco.ie.Brian will be happy to meet with anyprospective developer or investor and hasclose contacts with the following agencies:Local AuthoritiesDungarvan Town Council is the PlanningAuthority for the urban area, whileWaterford County Council is the PlanningAuthority for land bordering on the town.Prospective investors can enter intopre-planning discussions and receive adviceon the availability of suitable developmentland. Information on Dungarvan may besourced through the Waterford CountyCouncil website: www.waterfordcoco.ie.This website has links to many stateagencies and other useful contacts such asEstate Agents and Auctioneers, offeringdetails of available property, both domesticand commercial, throughout the county.IDA IrelandIDA Ireland is a government fundedorganisation whose main objective is toencourage investment into Ireland by foreignowned enterprises. IDA's focus is to attractinvestment that is of high value, requiringhigh skill levels and a sophisticated businessenvironment. The IDA can provide assistanceto companies locating in Ireland orexpanding existing operations, including the

Contactprovision of Training, Employment andResearch and Development grants.Website: www.idaireland.comEnterprise IrelandEnterprise Ireland is the Government Agencyresponsible for the development of Irishindustry. It assists companies in theachievement of export sales, promotesinnovation and productivity and drivesregional enterprise. It also assists thecreation of high potential startup companies.Website: www.enterprise-ireland.comWaterford County Enterprise BoardWaterford County Enterprise Board providesa range of support services to smaller scalebusinesses. The Board provides financial aiddesigned to assist at the start-up ordevelopment phase of the business.Assistance is also available to enableentrepreneurs to develop themarketing, production,financial and managementaspects of theirbusiness. Website:www.enterpriseboard.ieFÁSFÁS, the National Training and EmploymentAuthority can help employers meet theirstaffing needs by offering a comprehensiverecruitment service. FÁS also provides anextensive range of training and companydevelopment programmes to businesses inIreland. Website: www.fas.ieWaterford Institute of TechnologyW.I.T., the foremost third level educationestablishment in the South-East, has stronglinks with industry, offering a variety ofservices, such as, collaborative researchprojects, training courses for staff, access toa graduate pool and access to resources andexpertise. Website: www.wit.ieDUNGARVANThe DevelopmentOppertunity