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The President of Waterford IT says the City needs a master plan that includes the expansion of the institute.

The President of Waterford IT says the City needs a master plan that includes the expansion of the institute.

Professor Willie Donnelly says the Institute which is aiming to become a technological university will have to expand.

There was talk in recent years about WIT acquiring the former Waterford Crystal in Kilbarry however, owner Noel Frisby plans to redevelop the site.

He says if Waterford wants to be a University City, we need to have a look at the expansion, but if it is not to be the Crystal site, there are other sites around.

The IT has 190 acres in Carriganore. When that was purchased in 1996 it was not in the City, but it is now. He says there are other sites close to the Institute which are
green field sites which can be developed.

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He says Waterford has to become a 'University City' " A university city brings employment, art, it brings culture and this is something that we sometimes forget when we talk about Waterford.

Waterford is a great city of culture, it is our oldest city, and the university is not just about technology and jobs, it's about art, culture, it's a way of life. We need to see how we are going to expand the footprint we have at the moment. We are already under, even to deliver the programmes that we have today, we need an extra 40 thousand square metres to deliver that, so we need to develop a master plan, where it's going to be".

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