On Friday, January 23^rd, Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien TD visited Waterford for a number of engagements including a tour of the North Quays Public Infrastructure Project.

The Minister arrived at City Hall for a meeting with Sean McKeown, Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council, Government Chief Whip Minister Mary Butler TD and Minister of State for Local Government and Planning Minister John Cummins TD. There they discussed key Department of Transport projects, including climate action, roads, active travel and the transport infrastructure on the North Quays.

Minister O’Brien then visited the Sustainable Transport Bridge and the Transport Hub at the North Quays.

The North Quays is a flagship urban regeneration project delivering one of the largest ever investments in the city and region, with €207m of approved public funding being invested in the project, including €100m from the Urban Regeneration & Development Fund (URDF) and €84m from the National Transport Authority (NTA).

It will deliver a more sustainable and liveable city centre by connecting the north and south sides of the city and re-establishing the river and the quays as a focal point for the city.

In April last year, Waterford City and County Council granted planning permission to Harcourt Developments for the development of the first phase of the North Quays Strategic Development Zone (SDZ).

The SDZ development places a significant emphasis on connecting the north and south quays and improving the public realm through investment in new high quality civic spaces, including sustainable transport infrastructure, which will connect the Waterford and the South-East Greenways via the city centre and new sustainable transport bridge.

The mixed-use development will include significant residential accommodation, as well as office and hotel accommodation, retail offerings and high-quality public realm spaces and construction is anticipated to start in Q4 2026.

Minister O’Brien said, “Seeing the progress at Waterford’s North Quays today is hugely encouraging. This transformative project is unlocking the city’s potential, creating jobs, and setting the stage for long-term, sustainable growth in the region.”

Minister Butler added, “I’m really pleased to host Minister O’Brien for a visit to the North Quays today. The progress which has been made since he turned the sod only three years ago is remarkable.

“As we took our first steps across the sustainable transport bridge today it was striking how transformative this project will be for Waterford.”

Speaking following the Minister’s visit, Sean McKeown, Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council said, “We were delighted to welcome the Minister for Transport to Waterford to discuss a range of transport initiatives for the city and county.

“The Department recently announced an allocation of €360m for active travel projects, of which Waterford will receive over €9m for more sustainable transport options.”