€20m spend on tourism and business in coming years

WEXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL plans to spend around €20m on significant tourism and economic projects around the county over the coming years.

County Manager Tom Enright said: ‘We have received approval recently to borrow money for our economic initiatives and we can borrow €8m to provide match funding for tourism and economic infrastructure. Fáilte Ireland has brought back capital grants for the first time in years for tourist attractions and we can also apply for these grants.’

The money will be spent developing historic sites, business parks and leisure areas across the county.

The local authority plans to buy a small enterprise centre in New Ross town, which would meet the need for a business incubation and hot desk premises in the town.

Mr Enright said: ‘We would hope to partner with Waterford Institute of Technology in identifying suitable small companies that are emerging for the centre. We have also gone for planning for two advance factories in Butlersland in New Ross and we are talking with the IDA to persuade them to develop one of these units. If one was built we feel we would be able to attract a large company into it.’

A business park site is being acquired in Enniscorthy, while a 30,000 sq ft innovation centre is being built in Enniscorthy.’

30 months into his job, Mr Enright said he is convinced of the potential of County Wexford.

‘Wexford is a wonderful place to live and there is a great quality of life here and with all of the big infrastructure projects that are happening like the bypasses it will make the county so much more accessible.’